Just as we expected, Nintendo revealed the first core Pokemon RPG titles for the Switch on Wednesday morning during the Pokemon Direct live stream. Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield will be the first mainline entries in the Pokemon franchise to ever release for a home console rather than a portable device, but like Red, Blue, Diamond, Pearl, Sun, and Moon before them, Sword and Shield will be full-fledged Pokemon RPGs.
Nintendo wasn’t ready to share a release date for the two games yet, but the good news is that both titles are slated to release simultaneously in late 2019. We might not be getting Metroid Prime 4 this year, but Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield should help to tide over Switch owners this holiday season.
There’s still plenty for Nintendo and Game Freak to reveal throughout the year, but we did learn that Sword and Shield will take place in the new Galar region, “which is filled with idyllic countryside and contemporary cities—vast plains and snow-covered mountains.” The look of the game has picked up right where Pokemon Sun and Moon left off as well, with a more intimate perspective and more freedom of movement than ever before.
We also got a chance to meet the three starter Pokemon from Generation 8: Grookey (Grass-type), Scorbunny (Fire-type), and Sobble (Water-type). There are sure to be dozens of additional Pokemon to unveil at E3 2019 and beyond, but these are the three companions you’ll choose between as you embark on your latest adventure. And if you want to know more about them, check out the newly-launched Pokemon Sword and Shield website.
