Pokémon has announced plans for two new games – Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.
The new games, which will be released later this year, take place in the Galar region, where the terrain ranges from rolling countryside to snow-capped mountains.
Three new characters – Grookey: a curious chimp Pokémon, Scoorbunny: an energetic rabbit Pokémon, Sobble: a shy lizard Pokémon – have also been announced today (February 27) on self-proclaimed Pokémon Day, a celebration of the debut of the first two Pokémon games in 1996.
It’s the brand’s first new game generation since Generation 7 hit screens in late 2016, and the first series designed exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
The next generation is here, Trainers.
We are pleased to announce the upcoming new entries in the main series of Pokémon RPGs: Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield! ⚔ ?#PokemonSwordShield pic.twitter.com/dw4myyORBR
— Galar region Pokémon (@Pokemon) February 27, 2019
In #PokemonSwordShield, you’ll explore the expansive Galar region, which is filled with idyllic countryside and contemporary cities—vast plains and snow-covered mountains. ⚔ ? pic.twitter.com/ECtjU6K8kp
— Galar region Pokémon (@Pokemon) February 27, 2019
Let’s go down the list:
New Game ✅
New Region ✅
New Pokémon ❓Ready to meet the first three Pokémon that will accompany you on your #PokemonSwordShield journey? ? ? ? pic.twitter.com/e7EhGEihbJ
— Galar region Pokémon (@Pokemon) February 27, 2019
Meanwhile, a new trailer for an upcoming Pokémon movie was recently unveiled appearing to show that it will be a CGI remake of the original 1998 animation film.
The short teaser for Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution, which was released on New Year’s Day as clocks struck midnight in Japan, showed a CGI Mewtwo chasing after Mew through the sky.
It’s unclear if the upcoming remake will be entirely CGI or a combination of CGI and older animation. The new film’s tagline – The Legend Is Back – and a promotional poster that looks like a tribute to the original movie hint that the new film will mine from the late filmwriter Takeshi Shudo’s original work.
The official trailer for the live-action movie was unveiled back in November. It was met with by a mixed reaction from fans online, who drew comparisons between Ryan Reynolds’ Pikachu and the actor’s superhero role in Deadpool.