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I'll never defend Pokemon HOME or TPC's implementation of any part of it, but honestly, nothing has turned me off from checking out Yo-Kai Watch quite like spiteful fans using it as a weapon against Pokemon.

Ze Diglett Gatekeeping is a GOOD thing as far as I'm concerned so I appreciate being able to weed out certain types of people. Helps alot that Yo-Kai Watch's difficulty weeds out the weak on its own to boot. Factual information isn't spite cuz it doesn't care about your feelings. Criticism certainly ain't a weapon either. Unless you're somehow convinced saying one video game is better than another is somehow on the same level as brandishing a knife. It's not like your livelihood or anything is actually being threatened unless a video game made by multibillion dollar company that does not love you is just THAT tied to your entire personality.

Personally, I play whatever I want for my own preferences.

I recall this one especially obnoxious guy that went on about how only smart people play Shin Megami Tensei. I tried the game out of curiosity cuz I was in the mood to try them since another friend of mine loved both those games. I ended up adoring Shin Megami Tensei 4 Apocalypse and when Shin Megami Tensei 5 came out on Switch, I was ecstatic. Shin Megami Tensei 5 is also leagues better than recent Pokemon games, mind you. The ability to "spite" a random internet person by bresking past their gatekeeping was just a small bonus from finding a game I loved so either way I "won".

"This game is better cuz it has more content, its production quality is superior and it has free DLC."

"Spiteful evil weaponry! How dare you!!"

If you really enjoy other people not partaking in your interests, then aight. Looks like we're both happy

Anyway, I'm only saying this to you because I've seen how you conduct yourself in other threads whenever Pokemon is mentioned. I dunno what to say other than that a piece of media being "better" than another doesn't really give you an excuse to be annoying about it. (Yes, piggybacking every mention of a popular thing to espouse how much better your alternative is is being annoying, no matter how "correct" you think you are.) If you want Yo-Kai Watch to remain the niche series that it objectively is outside of Japan, you're doing a great job so far, but I have a hard time believing someone who's devoted quite literally his whole online presence to reminding people why Pokemon is trash and Yo-Kai Watch is better would want that. Those strawman quotes you dumped at the end don't exactly give off the impression that you aren't being deliberately spiteful, either. You've done very much the opposite of help your case, friend.

I enjoy people taking part in my interests that aren't bad at video games nor do they view criticism of a multibillion dolar company that does not love them as some kind of evil action.

It's my personal online account and I'll do what I want with it. I don't know you and am not obligated to please a stranger. Saying one video game is better than another does not violate any rules. Being niche is better anyway. Larger fanbases tend to have larger influxes of trouble such as the infamous PokeTuber Verlisify whom is bad at the only game he plays. So yes I do want the fandom to remain niche since it makes it easier to keep out dumb people.

Everyone is free to have their opinion and free to state it. In my opinion, being able to brag about a video game series that actually put forth an amazing level quality despite having less money and fame is a good thing. How easily your actions one way or another are influenced by such a statement from a random online stranger stating his own harmless opinion freely for a video game on a video game discussion site is none of my concern especially from Pokemon/Nintendo fans that will insist on living up to a stereotype of never playing other games anyway in the first place.

You are here on a site dedicated to a video game series made by a man whom has said himself Yo-Kai Watch is full of good game design. That fact will remain true regardless of anything you view as "spiteful".

I don't really care if Yo-Kai Watch is better than Pokemon or not (nor do I care what Sakurai has to say about it), I just think your strategy is woefully misguided. Most people don't treat video games as a test of "strength" or whatever, nor do they prioritize owning strangers on the internet by getting into a game they like(?). Your demeanor frankly reeks of pride and that's not a good way to convince anyone of anything. Granted, you don't seem to care about convincing people and just wanna flex, which is entirely foreign to me, but I can't stop you. Still, consider how your image might affect your message, one internet Z-lister to another. Cheers