Afterword

Looking back now, I think I’ve tried to choose the more challenging option whenever I’ve been at a crossroads. Whether it was deciding to build a Famicom, choosing to relocate to America, or switching jobs to Niantic. Avoiding challenges is easier, and continuing to do the same things would probably produce decent results. But I’ve always wanted to actively pursue things that have the potential to create something new and interesting. That’s because I believe being able to challenge yourself in the first place is a blessing. In this world, there are many people who truly struggle to find food for the day. Only a handful of people have the freedom to choose their profession, and I think even fewer can take on new challenges. Not challenging yourself isn’t wrong, but I think it’s terribly wasteful. Of course, when you start something new, you might fail, or even if you succeed, you might not get the results you expected. Nevertheless, the experience will certainly make you stronger.

Born in a cold village in China, what would I be doing now if I hadn’t been able to go to Japan? I would probably be working as a migrant laborer or tilling fields. I likely wouldn’t have become a software engineer, and I don’t think I would have created “Pokémon GO.” Fortunately, I was able to immigrate to Japan. Thanks to that, I encountered “Pokémon” and computers. If you reading this are living in Japan, if you’re in an environment where you can take on new challenges, that is an extraordinary stroke of luck. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself!

Many people helped me in writing this book. President Tsuzuki of Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions gave me the opportunity to write this autobiography. Kento-san and Mayuko-san from Niantic, and Fukushima-san and Morotsuki-san from The Pokémon Company assisted with verifying the content and providing materials. Mako-san, Madoka-san, and Nao-san helped with creating the cover. I received assistance from Okayasu-san for writing and structuring the main text. The supervising editors, Sekiya-san and Kigawa-san, went through particularly difficult adjustments. Additionally, many people always contribute to the development of “Pokémon GO.” I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to everyone: Ishihara-san, Utsunomiya-san, Egami-san, and all the members of the Pokémon GO Promotion Office at The Pokémon Company; Masuda-san from Game Freak; John, Mike, Kero-san, Masa-san, Ed, Dennis and all the development team members at Niantic; Anazawa-san, Ujiie-san, Uematsu-san, and all studio members at Creatures Inc.; everyone at Nintendo Co., Ltd.; and all the fans who always play “Pokémon GO.”

Tatsuo Nomura

June 4, 2017