Pokemon Sleep Starts Transition to Pokemon Works as Main Developer

Pokémon Sleep's development is transitioning from Select Button to Pokémon Works. This newly established Pokémon Company subsidiary will now oversee the game's ongoing development and future updates.

Pokémon Sleep Development Transition

From Select Button to Pokémon Works

Launched in March 2023, Pokémon Works, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company, has now assumed responsibility for Pokémon Sleep. Previously, development and operation were shared between Select Button Co. Ltd. and The Pokémon Company. An in-app announcement (via machine translation) confirmed the shift in development and operational responsibilities.

The announcement, initially appearing in the Japanese version of the Pokémon Sleep app, hasn't yet been reflected in the global version's News section. The impact of this change on international players remains to be seen.

While details about Pokémon Works' current projects are scarce, their website states that the company is a collaborative effort between The Pokémon Company and Iruka Co., Ltd. They're located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, near ILCA, the studio behind Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and a co-developer of Pokémon HOME. Pokémon Works' representative director, Takuya Iwasaki, also confirmed their contribution to Pokémon HOME.

Though their direct Pokémon involvement has been limited, Pokémon Works aims to "create an experience that makes Pokémon more real... so that everyone can enjoy meeting and adventuring with Pokémon." Their approach to achieving this vision within Pokémon Sleep is yet to be revealed.