Game Freak have grown exponentially since the debut of the Pokémon franchise in the late 1990s. To support the yearly development of Pokémon mainline titles and remakes alongside the company’s expansion into mobile applications, services and the occasional original IP, a large studio office is needed to support the expanding workforce. From their small origins, Game Freak has now moved into a much-expanded, modern office space in Tokyo to accommodate the studio and their needs, with this new office space taking inspiration from the Pokémon Red and Blue, the games that started it all.
The aim for this new office, designed by Canuch Inc., is to give Game Freak both the security and larger office space needed to accommodate an expanding business. So why are we talking about it? Well, as far as office spaces go, the decision to create an office inspired by the world of the Kanto Region from the first generation of Pokémon games has given the offices a rather unique appearance.
Right from the entrance lobby area, this inspiration comes to life in an impressive fashion. The lobby for the offices are inspired by Viridian Forest and is expressed by lush greenery that invites visitors and employees into the building and puts them into a mindset of adventure by expressing the cries of Pokémon, sunlight, and living trees and creatures. Meeting rooms are then named after various towns and cities in the Kanto region and colored based on these named. Office plans are semi-open, with cubicles formed out of open shelving that allow employees to control their level of privacy while providing storage space, with smaller meeting spaces interspersed within. An open shared space is fitted with greenery and a kitchen, with the red, blue and green color scheme designed to match the packaging of the original titles.
Work is work, sure, but it would certainly be better to work in such a well-designed environment like this than a traditional office. Game Freak moved into these new offices earlier this year with a design made to convey a sense of adventure that can help shape the future direction of the Pokémon franchise.