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Pokémon’s New York-inspired monsters join 'Pokémon Go' today
Starting today, September 16th, Pokémon Go players can begin collecting Pokémon from the series' fifth generation of games. As with any of the other Pokémon you could collect previously, you'll be able to catch Gen 5 monsters by finding them out on your daily commute, taking part in the game's co-operative 'Raid' mode and by hatching eggs. Some of the more notable additions included in today's update are Gen 5's three starters, Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott. For the full list of new Pokémon, as well as information on how to obtain them, visit developer Niantic's website.
Watch the latest Nintendo Direct here at 6PM ET
It seems Nintendo will have plenty to showcase in its latest Nintendo Direct stream. It's set to run for about 40 minutes, around the same length as the previous Direct from E3, with a focus on its Switch slate for the rest of the year.
'Pokémon Masters' hits 10 million downloads in four days
The latest Pokémon mobile game, Pokémon Masters, has been downloaded more than 10 million times, according to developer and publisher, DeNA. Moreover, the game achieved the feat in just four days, making it the second-fastest mobile game to hit the milestone behind Super Mario Run.
'Pokémon Sword' and 'Shield' will have version-exclusive gyms
If you've ever complained that the differences between Pokémon game editions were too small, relief might be in sight. When Pokémon Sword and Shield arrive in November, they'll include not just differences in the creature lineup and trainers, but version-exclusive gyms in "certain towns" with unique gym leaders. You'll take on the martial artist Bea in Sword, while the goth Allister will fight you in Shield. This probably won't justify buying the Dual Pack with both variants unless you're a completist. Still, it promises to add some genuine variety to the experience.
New trailer for ‘Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution’ is full of Pokémon nostalgia
More than twenty years after the release of the first Pokémon movie, the film is being reimagined with an all-new computer-generated release in Japan. The first trailer dropped at the start of this year, and now a second trailer shows more of what to expect from the upcoming film.
'Pokémon Masters' is pitting old trainers against each other this summer
Pokémon Masters is landing on iOS and Android sometime this summer, The Pokémon Company's chief Tsunekazu Ishihara has announced. Ishihara and the game's developers have also showed a new anime-style trailer and revealed more details for the mobile game, which was first announced at an event in Tokyo along with Pokémon Sleep and Home. Apparently, the game is set on an artificial island called Pasio, where you'll have to team up with and fight against familiar faces: trainers throughout the series, like Brock and Misty.
Niantic sues group of alleged 'Pokémon Go' cheaters
It's not just multi-platform gaming giants suing cheaters. Niantic has sued members of Global++ for allegedly offering "unauthorized derivative" (read: hacked) versions of Pokémon Go, Ingress and even the still-in-beta Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The modified mobile apps not only violate intellectual property rights, Niantic said, but "undermine the integrity of the gaming experience" by helping players cheat. This hurts player enthusiasm for the games and thus could "interfere" with Niantic's business.
Dynamaxing a corgi in ‘Pokémon Sword' and 'Shield’
Pokémon Sword and Shield, the series' first proper outing on the Switch, is shaking up a tried-and-tested formula. There's the dynamic weather system, which affects which Pokémon can spawn; the free camera, which will completely change the feel of exploration; the new "verticality" to Pokémon hunting; the co-operative Raid battles; the fresh setting, inspired by Great Britain; and a Rotom smartphone that replaces the Pokédex. There's a lot, but very little of it is on show at this year's E3. The demo I played through this afternoon was limited to a section of a water gym. It contained a simple switch-based puzzle, where I turned off and on water jets in order to proceed to the gym leader. One interesting thing was the game's use of a more horizontal camera to lay out the puzzle clearly, but honestly it's the type of challenge that'd be at home in any of the series' many games. It was all very familiar, albeit with a heightened level of graphical flair that the transition away from the 3DS allows for.
Some of your Pokémon won't transfer to 'Sword' and 'Shield'
Ever since 2003, you've had the option of importing your Pokémon critters into newer games, including across platforms thanks to Pokémon Home. However, GameFreak is about to end that run. As part of an E3 chat, producer Junichi Masuda revealed that Pokémon Sword and Shield will only accept transfers from creatures that exist in the game's Galar region. That includes some Pokémon from other games, of course, but it means your beloved Meloetta won't be playable. You should still have a central collection in the Home app, you just won't get to use all of it.
Pokémon manga e-books are available in schools and libraries worldwide
Pokémon manga e-books are now available to public libraries and schools worldwide through OverDrive, Inc. Students and library patrons can visit overdrive.com to find a participating library. From there, you'll be able to download Pokémon magna titles published by Viz Media, either on a web browser or via the Libby or Sora apps. Borrowed titles will expire at the end of the lending period, so as an added perk, there are no late fees.
Nintendo's E3 will center on Pokémon, Zelda and Luigi's Mansion
We already knew that Nintendo would be focusing on 2019 games at E3 this year (sorry, Metroid Prime fans). Today, the company has gone a step further and revealed the exact games that will be playable on the show floor: Pokémon Sword and Shield, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (the upcoming remake, not the original), Luigi's Mansion 3 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. Nintendo said there will be "other games on the show floor," and "details about additional upcoming titles for Nintendo Switch" during its now-traditional Direct video on June 11th. That means there's still a chance the new Animal Crossing -- which is tentatively scheduled for 2019 at the moment -- will make an appearance at the show. We could also see Astral Chain, a fantasy-action game from Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames, and Super Mario Maker 2, which comes out just a couple of weeks after the show. Heck, maybe we'll get a release date for Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo's next smartphone game, too.
Watch the 'Pokémon Sword and Shield' Nintendo Direct right here
Switch owners, assemble! Nintendo has a special Direct presentation dedicated to Pokémon Sword and Shield today. If you've been living under a Geodude for the last four months, these are the proper, all-new Switch RPGs that fans have been clamoring for. We've already seen the new starter Pokémon (the grass type, Grookey, is clearly the best) and the clearly UK-inspired Galar region (hopefully it won't morph into a Brexit wasteland), but that's about it. We know little about the story, combat tweaks, mini-games and potential compatibility with other Pokémon software, including Go, the Let's Go titles, and the recently-announced Pokémon Sleep. For all the juicy details, watch the stream here at 6AM PT/9AM ET.
'Pokémon Go' will drop Apple Watch support after July 1st
If you're used to advancing your Pokémon Go game with an Apple Watch, you'll want to change your habits. Niantic is ending support for the Apple Watch after July 1st -- beyond that, you can't connect your watch to the creature-catching game. Simply put, it's not as useful any more. Now that Adventure Sync can track steps, earn Buddy Candy and hatch Pokémon on your phone, Niantic wants to "focus" on using the feature on one device instead of splitting your attention.
The next 'Detective Pikachu' game is headed to Nintendo Switch
Now that the Detective Pikachu movie has had success at the box office without incurring internet outrage and a delay -- we're looking at you Sonic -- there's a new game in the works. At a press conference today, execs said "Plans are under way to bring this crime-solving Pikachu to Nintendo Switch!" They didn't reveal many details about the game other than that it's following the 3DS version and will apparently have a different ending compared to what happened in the movie. We don't have a release window either, so if you just became a fan of the character after seeing Ryan Reynolds' performance, then you should have plenty of time to catch up.
A mobile version of ‘Pokémon Rumble’ is coming to iOS and Android
Yet another Pokémon game is coming to smartphones. Pokémon Rumble Rush appeared in Australia's Google Play store today, and according to EuroGamer, it's "coming soon" for iOS and Android.
Playing ‘Pokémon’ as a kid may have rewired your brain
If you played Pokémon video games extensively as a kid, there's a good chance that a specific region of your brain gets fired up when you see the characters now. In a recent study, researchers from Stanford University showed test subjects hundreds of Pokémon characters. As you might expect, the brains of longtime Pokémon fans responded more than those unfamiliar with the game. But what's more surprising is that, in all of the fans, a specific brain fold responded, an area just behind the ears, called the occipitotemporal sulcus.
Snap selfies with Pikachu in Google Pixel's AR Playground
You don't have to wait until May 10th to see Pikachu come to life in new ways. Ahead of the long-awaited Pokémon movie, Google released Detective Pikachu, Charizard, Jigglypuff and Mr. Mime as Playmojis for the Pixel's Playground mode. As you can with Google's other Playmojis (previously called AR stickers), you can drop these characters into scenes around you and interact with them through the Pixel's cameras.
'Pokémon Go' challenges you to photograph its AR creatures
Now that Pokémon Go has a photo mode, Niantic is encouraging you to use it the best way it knows how: the promise of goodies. It's launching a Go Snapshot Challenge that rewards you for taking photos that include the game's augmented reality critters. A Buddy Challenge category encourages you to take selfies with your favorite creature, a Habitat Challenge asks you to take a picture based on a Pokémon's 'natural' element, and a Go Create Challenge allows more free-form photography.
What’s coming to Netflix in April: 'Our Planet' and the return of 'Sabrina'
Spring is here at last and while many of us will want to enjoy the sunshine after what's been a long, harsh winter in many places, we'll still have evenings where we want to kick back and watch something. As always, Netflix has a trove of new shows, movies and documentaries coming our way when the calendar flips to the next page. Among the highlights for April are You vs. Wild, an interactive survival show starring Bear Grylls (April 10th) and the long-awaited nature docuseries Our Planet, which is narrated by David Attenborough and from the creator of Planet Earth (April 5th).
'Pokémon Go' is testing high noon raids
Next week, Pokémon Go will experiment with a new feature: lunch hour raid battles. On March 13, from 12pm to 1pm in your local time zone, Pokémon Go will increase the number of raids. If the one-day trial run goes well, lunchtime brawls might become a regular part of the game.
