A well-loved video game illustrator and developer has returned to Pokémon.
James Turner made this announcement on Twitter:
Big news! I’ve started a new role as Creative Director of Pokémon Art and Design at The Pokémon Company International. It feels great to be working in the world of Pokémon again, with a lovely group of people. I’m very excited about what comes next!
James originally worked on Pokémon in 2003, and worked at Game Freak from 2009 to 2022. In this capacity, James designed multiple Pokémon as well as Pokémon trainers and characters.
His biggest role in this regard is being art director for Pokémon Sword & Shield. However, he quit Game Freak in 2022 to launch a new game studio named All Possible Futures.
In this capacity, James launched a game of his own, called The Plucky Squire. But it doesn’t look like James left All Possible Futures to take this role at The Pokémon Company International.
We may need clarification on this point, but James new position extends beyond the Pokémon video games, to Pokémon TCG, the anime, merchandising and more. We look forward to learning more in the future.