Pokémon Sword and Shield News
November2019
Nintendo Download 14th November (North America)
Pokémon Sword & Shield, Children of Morta, Sparklite!
The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it's bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy! Nintendo Switch: Pokémon Sword and Shield...
Random Now Pokémon Sword And Shield Haters Are Asking The US President To Halt Sales Of The Game
"This is violating our market rights"
Wow. Pokémon Sword And Shield sure has annoyed a lot of fans – and it's not even out yet. We've covered the numerous complaints about the game already, but – as our Pokémon Sword And Shield review clearly states – this is a solid start to Generation 8 on Switch. St
Round Up The Pokémon Sword And Shield Reviews Are In, And It's Not As Bad As You Feared
Critics seem mostly positive
So, it's finally here. The most talked about and most controversial game to grace Nintendo's console this year launches this week - and the reviews are now in. Pokémon Sword and Shield has had a scarily mixed build-up to release, being both hugely anticipated by some fans and hugely scrutinised by others (including...
65 stores taking part
Based in the UK? Itching to get your hands on Pokémon Sword and Shield? Well, you'll be pleased to know that high street chain GAME is conducting a series of midnight openings on Thursday night/Friday morning across 65 of its stores, which means you can get your grubby hands on the latest title in the series a few hours...
News Pokémon Fans Get '#GameFreakLied' Trending As Sword And Shield Drama Intensifies Yet Again
Fans believe they've been lied to
The hashtag '#GameFreakLied' is trending in multiple countries around the world on Twitter, with a significant number of Pokémon fans believing that they may have been lied to about the development of Pokémon Sword and Shield. At the time of writing, the trend is sitting at number eleven in the United Kingdom and...
Guide Where To Buy Pokémon Sword and Shield On Nintendo Switch
A new generation of Pokémon awaits
Pokémon Sword and Shield arrived on Nintendo Switch on 15th November 2020 worldwide, introducing a brand new generation of collectable critters to the series for the first time on the new console. You can check out our review right now for our verdict on the latest entry in the celebrated series. If you're...
And will base future decisions on those reactions
One exciting new aspect of the upcoming Switch releases Pokémon Sword and Shield is the 'Wild Area' – a vast and open bit of land connecting towns and containing many different Pokémon in their natural habitats. This same area also happens to make use of a free-moving camera, which is a first for...
Video Pokémon Sword And Shield Brings The Hype With New 'Epic Battle' Commercial
Phwoar...
If you're not yet feeling the hype for the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield games, you might want to give this fancy new commercial a spin. Appropriately called 'Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield – Epic battles await', this new trailer certainly brings the heat. With the current state of the Pokémon community, we're sure there'
Video Get Another Look At The Two New Pokémon In This Galar Research Recap
Here are the findings
Yesterday, we got a look at two new Pokémon in the "final" trailer for Sword and Shield. Overlooking the title of the previous clip, the local Pokémon YouTube channel has now uploaded another trailer. The Galar Research Recap video looks back on all the previous findings uncovered and also includes another look at the two...
News Two New Pokémon Revealed In Sword And Shield's 'Final' Trailer
Get a closer look
A brand new trailer has been released for Pokémon Sword and Shield, revealing two brand new monsters in the process. You can see all of the action unfold for yourself above; the two new Pokémon can be seen at the 0:23 and 0:48 marks although they only appear for the briefest of moments. At present, no additional information on...
News Pokémon Sword And Shield's Wild Area Web App Is Now Live
Discover Pokémon online
Update (11th Nov, 13:00 GMT): The Pokémon Sword and Shield Wild Area web app is now available to explore, allowing fans to track down some of their favourite Pokémon in a Google Maps-like diorama. You can go ahead and visit the app for yourself here, although everything is presented in Japanese. You can explore the Wild...
Soapbox Attacking Pokémon Creator Game Freak Isn't Cool, But Biting Back Isn't The Answer
Game Freak's James Turner fuels the fire, but can you blame him?
The negative press surrounding the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield shows no signs of slowing down, with rumours now floating around that morale at developer Game Freak is at an all-time low. Earlier this week, WayPoint Radio’s Austin Walker (thanks, GoNintendo) made a claim that...
"We encourage people to use Pokémon Home to collect their Pokémon from old games"
We're a week away from the release of Pokémon Sword And Shield and the game is already being attacked online by fans who feel the developer Game Freak is letting them down – mainly because it has already been confirmed that the Switch release won't have a complete...
News Social Media Bands Together To Show Pokémon Studio Game Freak Some Love
#ThankYouGameFreak
It's been a difficult period for Japanese developer Game Freak since the producer Junichi Masuda revealed the upcoming titles Pokémon Sword and Shield for Switch would feature a limited Pokédex. There's been backlash from fans, online leaks and a launch event in Japan was even recently cancelled due to operational reasons...
Poll How Do You Pronounce These Pokémon-Related Words?
How does your PokéPron compare to the crowd?
A few months back we asked you lovely people to tell us how you say certain video game-related words and with your answers we gathered some interesting data. We know, for example, that 55% of people polled pronounce 'NES' by saying each letter rather than shortening it to a single syllable with ness or...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (November 9th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Well, what another crazy week we've had with Smash Ultimate's major update and the introduction of Terry Bogard, a pro Fortnite player being banned for life and even our first glimpse at
Poll Which Starter Pokémon Is The Best? Choose Your Favourite Water-Type Starter
Pick from this pool
And we come to the final stop on our journey to find out the best multi-generational mix of starter Pokémon before we ultimately reveal your dream team of starters. We've previously asked your opinion for the best Fire- and Grass-type starter Pokémon from the eight generations that comprise the mainline
News Pokémon Sword And Shield Will Star The Musical Talent Of Undertale Creator Toby Fox
Update: Give it a listen
Update: The Pokémon Company has now shared music from Toby Fox in the game. You can give it a listen below and read a statement from the man himself right here. Original Article (Fri 1st Nov, 2019 10:30 GMT): The Pokémon series has been home to numerous musi
News Pokémon Sword And Shield's Japanese Launch Event Has Been Canned
All down to "operational reasons", apparently
Pokémon Sword And Shield is shaping up to be one of the biggest launches of the year, and nowhere is that truer than in Japan, where the series enjoys so much fame that 'mon are given positions of authority and no one blinks an eye. Taking this into account, any and all launch events relating to the...
Reminder The Pokémon Sword And Shield Maximus Cup Is Now Live In Tetris 99
Secure that theme
Update: As a reminder, the ninth Tetris Maximus Cup is now live, giving players the chance to earn a lovely Pokémon Sword And Shield theme. More details below. Original Article (Fri 1st Nov, 2019 01:15 GMT): This month sees the release of Pokémon Sword and Shield on the Nintendo Switch. Before you enter the Galar Region on...
Poll Which Starter Pokémon Is The Best? Choose Your Favourite Grass-Type Starter
Best in grass
A wild PokéPoll appeared! Continuing our quest to find the ultimate cross-generational triumvirate of starter Pokémon, here we present the 8 Grass-type starters from every generation for your consideration. The Rock-Paper-Scissors choice of Fire-Grass-Water-types to kick off your adventure is a series tradition, but we're eager to...
Guide Pokémon Sword And Shield Gen 8 New Pokémon List - Full Galar Pokédex
All the new Generation 8 Pokémon and returners in Sword and Shield
It's arrived! Pokémon Sword and Shield, the latest in the mainline Pokémon series and our introduction to a new generation of Pocket Monsters, is finally here. Gen 8 features an entirely new roster of Pokémon and we've collected the entire list of Gen 8 Pokémon below for your...
Poll Which Starter Pokémon Is The Best? Choose Your Favourite Fire-Type Starter
Trouble starters, punkin' instigators
We're going to go out on a limb and guess that you've probably heard about the new Pokémon game coming out very soon. Yes, we're on the cusp of Gen VIII with the release of Pokémon Sword and Shield and very soon you'll be able to choose between Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble before embarking on a journey...
News New Game-Changing Features Revealed For Pokémon Sword And Shield
New features that'll mix up the way you train
Several new details have been revealed for Pokémon Sword and Shield today, all of which showcase new features that will have a rather significant impact on the way players train. You can see a brief summary of the features in the video above, but we also have the full rundown for you below, directly...
Video Check Out The Yummy Pokémon Sword And Shield Zacian And Zamazenta Edition Switch Lite
It's a thing of beauty
Pokémon Sword and Shield is almost with us, but before that, we have the special Zacian and Zamazenta Edition Switch Lite to get to grips with. It's not out until November 8th in the west, but we managed to get our hands on a Japanese model early, and Zion has been putting it through its paces. Let us know if you'll be...
News Pokémon Sword And Shield Gets Treated To A Brand New Five-Minute Trailer
Only nine days to go!
Pokémon Sword and Shield are just nine days away from launching on Nintendo Switch and a brand new overview trailer has been released to remind us of what we'll be getting up to on the big day. It gives us a good look at some of the areas you'll visit during your time in Galar, shows off some of the new Pokémon you'll be...
Rumour Nintendo May Have Caught The Pokémon Sword And Shield Leaker
Someone wasn't careful enough, it seems
The recent leak of information relating to Pokémon Sword And Shield certainly wasn't part of Nintendo's grand scheme for promoting the game, but if a recent rumour is to be believed, the company has tracked down the individual responsible. The report comes from Twitter user KGPrestige, who claims that...
News Pokémon Sword And Shield Are Leaking Like A Sieve, Be Safe Out There
You're safe with us
We're just days away from the launch of Pokémon Sword and Shield on Nintendo Switch, and all sorts of leaks are appearing all over the internet. We're talking starter evolutions, new Gigantamax forms, and pretty much the full Pokédex - if you want to know something, you can probably find it. Innocently scrolling through your...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (November 2nd)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
After a week full of disappointed Pokémon shoppers and a whole lot of Reggie-based news, we're suddenly sensing the light at the end of the tunnel and a chance to actually sit down with a game or two. It must be the weekend! As always, members of team Nintendo Life have gathered together to discuss their...
News In Case You Forgot, These Are The Major Nintendo Switch Titles This Holiday Season
Something for everyone
Yesterday, Nintendo reconfirmed multiple upcoming releases on Nintendo Switch. Highly anticipated ones like Animal Crossing: New Horizons obviously won't be showing up until next year and Metroid Prime 4 doesn't even have a date. Luckily, there are plenty of other first-party games ready to go this holiday season. Th
October2019
News Pokémon Sword And Shield Will Not Support Cloud Saves
Which was to be expected really
Although it would have been a pretty safe guess regardless, it has been confirmed that Pokémon Sword and Shield will not support cloud saves on Nintendo Switch. The news comes from the eShop listing for the two games - pre-purchasing is now live (with a surprising bonus gift for those in Europe) and we've already...
News Early Digital Pokémon Sword And Shield Pre-Orders Also Include A Steelbook, For Some Reason
In Europe, at least
Don't ask us why, but Nintendo of Europe has revealed that it'll be giving away physical steelbook cases with early digital pre-orders of Pokémon Sword and Shield. The games are now available to pre-order from the Nintendo Switch eShop, and Nintendo has announced that fact alongside an early-purchase incentive. The problem is,...
News Pokémon Sword And Shield File Size Revealed On The Japanese Switch eShop
Make some space
If you plan on picking up a digital copy of Pokémon Sword and Shield next month, you might be interested to know just how much storage space the new entries set in the Galar region require. According to a listing on the Japanese eShop, both games will need 9.5GB of free space. To download both, you'll need 19GB. This follows on...
"I can’t really think of a great way to combine the two into a single creature"
Recently we were invited down to The Pokémon Company International's European headquarters in sunny London to not only have a good old look at the upcoming Pokémon Sword & Shield, but also have a chin-wag in person with Junichi Masuda, the games' producer, and a...
News Negative Feedback Gets Us Down But Must Be Taken On Board, Says Pokémon's Junichi Masuda
"You have to take criticism"
It's a bit of an odd time for Pokémon. You could argue that the series has never been bigger, what with titles such as Pokémon GO and Pokémon Masters pulling in new fans on smartphones while movies like Detective Pikachu spread the brand across the world via the media of cinema. However, the core of the Pokémon...
News Pokémon Sword And Shield Players Will Be Able To Buy Switch Online Memberships In-Game
Update: Nintendo issues official statement to clear things up
Update 2: Nintendo has issued the following statement to TechRadar regarding this situation: As stated on the Game Store pages for the Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games at www.nintendo.com, a Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to use the games’ online features. The...
Pixélmon, I choose you!
Nintendo has posted a 30-second teaser for the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield that features a whole load of your favourite 'mon from previous generations. We could describe it in detail, but it's only 30 seconds - check it out above. Neat, huh? It's great fun to see all the retro pixel versions of Pokémon from multiple...
Video Let's Take A Tour Of London's Pop Up Pokémon Center, Shall We?
Here's what you can buy from the store
As you've probably already heard by now, London is currently enjoying its very own pop-up Pokémon Center. With exclusive merch items and even some new Pokémon Sword and Shield related goodies up for grabs, it's certainly worth having a look for serious Poké-fans. As it happens, our very own video wizard...
Video We've Played Pokémon Sword And Shield On Nintendo Switch And These Are Our Thoughts
Are they any good?
After Luigi's Mansion 3, the next major Switch title arriving is Pokémon Sword and Shield in the middle of November. It's expected to be the biggest Pokémon game ever (in more ways than one) – with Dynamaxing, Gigantamaxing, and a brand new region featuring idyllic countryside, contemporary cities, thick forests, and...
Which is only part of the game, of course
Wondering just how 'big' Pokémon Sword and Shield are going to be? Well, here's an interesting little comparison for you. As you may well already know, one of the game's new locations is the 'Wild Area', a vast, open bit of land which connects several towns and features plenty of Pokémon who wander around...
News Here's Your First Look At Some Of The Exclusive Merch Coming To London's Pokémon Center
Starring London City Pikachu
The pop-up Pokémon Center coming to London, UK will be opening in just two days' time, and if you're as keen on Pikachu and pals as we are, you're probably going to want to head on over to the capital for a visit. Before you do, though, let's take a look at some of the exclusive items you can expect to find. The...
News Pokémon Sword And Shield Will Feature New Gigantamax Forms Of Charizard, Pikachu And More
Today's special announcement revealed
Update (16th Oct, 14:05 BST): As we expected, today's official Pokémon Sword and Shield announcement was indeed for Gigantamax versions of some fan-favourite Pokémon. The announcement has arrived in the form of a brand new trailer, which shows off new forms for Charizard, Pikachu, Eevee, Meowth, and...
News New Pokémon Sword And Shield Info Drop Coming Tomorrow, 16th October
Again?!
It doesn't seem like it was that long ago when we were last treated to a healthy dollop of Pokémon Sword and Shield news - and that recent livestream had us all Pokémon'd out for a while - but there's no time to relax, Trainers. More info is coming your way tomorrow! The Pokémon Company has announced another 'Galar Research Update' for...
News Here's Your First Look At Pokémon Sword And Shield's Title Screen
A sneak Pik-achu... (sorry)
We might still be a whole month away from getting our hands on Pokémon Sword and Shield, but today keeps bringing nice little surprises for those who are super keen on the franchise. Earlier, we found out the games' file size, and now we have our first glimpse at both games' title screens. The images have been shared...
News Pokémon Sword And Shield File Size Seemingly Revealed Ahead Of Release
Digital buyers take note
It looks like we may have stumbled across the file size for Pokémon Sword and Shield earlier than expected, all thanks to the early appearance of a download card. Twitter user @MIN428 has shared the following image online, showing off a download card for the upcoming games that was found in a retail store. These cards are...
News CoroCoro Poster Reveals Full Scale Of The Wild Area In Pokémon Sword And Shield
Get ready to explore
One of the new features in Pokémon Sword and Shield is the wild area. This makes up a sizable chunk of the game and connects up all the different areas and points of interest. Of course, you can also encounter wild Pokémon in this location. While a number of presentations have already shown this open-world section, images of...
News Game Freak Discusses Pokémon Sword And Shield's Three Starters In More Detail
Who will you pick?
Sure, the new fancy Ponyta might be grabbing all of the headlines at the moment, but before you decide whether or not to include it in your team, there's another important decision you'll need to make in Pokémon Sword and Shield. That decision, of course, is which starter Pokémon you'll be choosing. Now, you may have already...
News Galarian Ponyta Officially Confirmed, Will Be Exclusive To Pokémon Shield
Update: Trailer, images and info appear
Update (9th Oct, 14:20 BST): Famitsu has now shared a selection of clear images of the new Pokémon and a first-look trailer has appeared (above). In addition, we now have more info regarding Galarian Ponyta's type and Pokédex info. Check it all out below. Original Article (9th Oct, 10:45 BST): If you...
News The Pokémon Sword And Shield Live Stream Is Now Over
24 hours later
Update - Sat 5th Oct, 2019 14:15 BST: In the final hour we got another glimpse of Pikachu and this was followed by two of the supposed Galarian Ponyta appearing on the screen. The one on the left lit up (see the image above) and the one on the right apparently doesn't have a tail. The stream eventually cut out, and then all that could...
News Game Freak Considered "Changing Up" The Battle System In Pokémon Sword And Shield
But wanted to express turn-based battles in the ultimate form
One staple of Pokémon is the turn-based battle gameplay. Without it, the series probably wouldn't have been as successful as it is today. While the upcoming releases Sword and Shield for the Nintendo Switch have incorporated a lot of new ideas, there were a few of them that didn't make...
