Pokemon Sword & Shield June 2019 Direct Stream: Rewatch And News Recap
E3 2019 may be just around the corner, but for Pokemon fans, the most exciting news arrived today during a special Pokemon Direct. Unlike the broader E3 Direct set for next week, which will show off a number of Switch games releasing in 2019, the presentation focused exclusively on the highly anticipated Pokemon Sword and Shield. During the Direct, Nintendo confirmed a release date, showed off new Pokemon, and detailed exciting new multiplayer features and open-world elements, among many other gameplay details.
If you missed it, don't despair, you can rewatch the entire stream through the video below. It's roughly 15 minutes long and packed with new information, so get yourself some snacks and settle in. We've also included all the biggest news that came out of the stream for you to read below. Once you've made your way to the end of this article, you'll be an expert on everything that has happened with Pokemon Sword and Shield so far.
Pokemon Sword And Shield Release Date Confirmed
During the Nintendo Direct, Pokemon developer Game Freak confirmed that Pokemon Sword / Shield's release date is set for November 15. Better yet, it's a global release date, so no one will be feeling left out when Poke-fever hits later this year. You can pre-order Sword and Shield now; in addition to the two standalone versions, a dual pack including both games will also be available.
New Legendaries
Nintendo introduced us to Pokemon Sword and Shield's new Legendary Pokemon. As you might expect, the two new Legendaries embody the "Sword" and "Shield" titles, with Zamazenta having a shield-like design and Zacian holding a sword-like item in its mouth.
New Characters And Story Details Revealed
Pokemon Sword and Shield's story and characters were a key focus of the Direct event. We got to meet the Galar region's Pokemon professor, your rival, and the Champion, and we learn that those giant stadiums we saw previously are Pokemon Gyms.
New Gen 8 Pokemon Revealed
Naturally, we got a look at some of the new Gen 8 Pokemon we'll be able to catch, befriend, and battle in Sword and Shield. We also got a look at a variety of returning favorites from past generations.
Dynamax
One of the new battle elements we learned about involves something called Dynamax. This is an option you can activate once per battle to grow your Pokemon to incredible size, allowing them to utilize more powerful versions of their abilities.
Raid Battles
Tied into Dyanmaxing is a new type of encounter that is clearly inspired by Pokemon Go: Battle Raids. These pit four trainers against a single enemy that will be Dynamaxed for the entire fight. Defeat it, and you'll have a chance to catch it. Your fellow trainers can be actual players, but if you don't have a group of four, the AI will fill in as needed.
Smartphone Pokedex
Rather than the standard Pokedex, Sword and Shield gives players a Rotom Phone. This not only is used to track your collection, but it also fulfills other functions, including apparently serving as a replacement for HMs from past games.
Gloss