Remove battling entirely.
>B-BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH MY POKEMON!?
In exchange, you can actually treat them like the living fantasy creatures they are and focus on the bonding dynamic through ways that aren't cockfighting or giving them the occasional headpat. Remove battling entirely.
>WHAT'S THE POINT OF CATCHING THEM IF I CAN'T USE THEM FOR ANYTHING BUT BONDING!!?
You can catch them to use them in the field to help you accomplish other tasks and set up scenarios to catch more Pokemon. Remove battling entirely.
>IT'S BEEN IN THE GAMES SINCE THE START YOU CAN'T JUST REMOVE IT!!!
Battling only existed because Taijri and the rest of GameFreak didn't know how to compel players to capture and collect the monsters beyond the Pokedex's checklist functions and the technology wasn't there to make it compelling on Gameboy, but now that we're on Switch, Legends has proven the technology is present. Remove battling entirely.
>M-MUH POSTGAME!! MUH MULTIPLAYER!!! MUH BATTLE FRONTIER!!!!
You won't shut the fuck up about how all of it is trash no matter what they do, so why should they bother pandering to an audience that only knows how to hate? Remove battling entirely.
>YOU CAN'T HAVE A STORY WITHOUT BATTLES THOUGH!!
Pokemon doesn't HAVE to have a story of that sort. Make it solely about exploration and uncovering the world with your Pokebro's powers and your own intuition. People want something casual and easy to digest like Animal Crossing, not everyone is a Japanese Salaryman desperate for some semblance of Power Fantasy. Remove battling entirely.
>TH-THE LEGENDARIES!! WHAT'LL MAKE THEM ANY DIFFERENT IF THERE'S NO BATTLES!?
Integrate puzzles into their place of dwelling and the process to capture them. A Legendary allowing you to catch it should be a reward for your intellect, your proof of bonding with all manner of Pokemon, and your curiosity leading you places no others would think to venture into. Remove battling entirely.
