'Pokemon Sun and Moon' release date news 2016: Fans in Hong Kong protest Pikachu name change; new details coming June 2
Pokemon fans in Hong Kong are protesting in front of the Japanese Consulate in hopes of stopping Nintendo from changing the name of Pikachu, arguably the most recognizable Pokemon of all time.
The Hong Kong protest came about after Nintendo confirmed that it will soon be supporting both Traditional and Simplified Chinese in "Pokemon Sun" and in "Pokemon Moon" when the upcoming role-playing video games are released in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Taiwan.
While many initially appreciated the fact that Nintendo is giving gamers in these areas a new way to play the new games, a backlash ensued when it turned out that the localization changes would mean that iconic characters such as Pikachu will get new names.
The prospect of a Pikachu name change has so enraged longtime Pokemon fans in Hong Kong that they have gathered in a bid to prevent Nintendo from carrying out the changes.
As Quartz points out, the reason for the outcry comes from the fact that while the new names are based on Mandarin, the official language in Hong Kong is actually Cantonese. Nintendo's planned name change has been taken by many as a diss against Cantonese, a rapidly disappearing language which some Hong Kong residents feel is being threatened by the mainland Chinese government.
According to Kotaku, the protestors have collected more than 6,000 signatures for an online petition protesting the title changes. They have also launched a Facebook community to express their dismay over Nintendo's plan and have threatened to boycott the company if it fails to comply with their requests.
Meanwhile, an information drop for the much-anticipated "Pokemon Sun" and "Pokemon Moon" is expected on Thursday, June 2.
According to YouTube user TyranitarTube, a Japanese tweet about the upcoming reveal indicates that fans should await the announcement on the official Pokemon Company website on June 2 at 9 a.m. EST/6 a.m. PST.
"Pokemon Sun" and "Pokemon Moon" are slated to arrive exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS on Nov. 18.