Pokémon BDSPcelebrates director and composer Junichi Masuda’s 54th birthday with a snowy easter egg.
Today is a special day for Game Freak and thePokémonfranchise! January 12th is beloved director, producer, and composer Junichi Masuda’s 54th birthday. To celebrate,Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearlhas brought back a feature players might recognize from previous games.
Fans were excited to discover a sparkling surprise in-game as their Switches turned the clock to Jan. 12th. The easter egg, called “Diamond Dust,” wasoriginally teased by Masuda himselfback in 2008, and Game Freak has brought it back for 2022. It’s a sweet nod to a major creative in the franchise, as well as paying homage toPokémonBDSP’s roots.
JANUARY 12TH’S SPECIALPOKÃMON BDSPEASTER EGG
As with the originalPokémon Diamond/Pearl, anyPokémonBDSPplayers traveling to Snowpoint City today will see glittering sparkles around the town. This “Diamond Dust” is a special variation of snow that Game Freak created for Masuda’s birthday.
Though Diamond Dust replaces any usual hailstorms, it luckily has no effect on battle. This means that players can battle in and around Snowpoint City without being buffeted by hail. Even better, players will also see an increased encounter and hatch rate, just as an added bonus.
Though Diamond Dust appears today to celebrate Masuda’s 54th birthday, it was originally revealed for his 40th birthday in 2008. In a post onhis personal blog, Masuda encouraged fans to pick upPokémon Diamond/Pearl, hinting that “Snowpoint City will be just beautiful!” Of course, when fans did, they discovered the lovelyeaster eggthat is Diamond Dust.
Additionally, Diamond Dust previously appeared in-game for other holidays like Leap Day, New Year’s Eve, and the player’s birthday. It’s a rare effect that only appears in a limited number of games, making it all the more special.
WhilePokémongames have created in-game special effects for various holidays, today’s effect celebrates a notable figure in bothPokémonand game development history. Masuda, a game dev extraordinaire, worked on nearly everyPokémongame since the company’s founding.
He’s also one of Game Freak’s original three founders, and the driving creative force behind the modernPokémongames. Following that, Masuda is now currently a composer and Director of the Board at Game Freak.
