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You'll be able to wave at Pokémon on the Pixel 4
After so many photo and video leaks, the daily revelations about the Google Pixel 4 can officially be referred to as a deluge. The latest comes from 9to5Google, in the form of a tech demo for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL's radar-equipped motion sensor. The proof-of-concept app lets users pet, splash and wave at Pokémon characters using vertical and horizontal hand gestures.
'Pokémon Go' has racked up 1 billion downloads
So much for Pokémon Go's initial success being nothing more than a fad. The Pokémon Company has released a series of videos in Japanese noting that Niantic's location-based mobile game has been downloaded over 1 billion times since launch. Some of those are re-downloads, and it's not clear how many players are active (Superdata estimated 147 million monthly users as of May 2018). All the same, it's an achievement for a game many thought might fizzle out after a few months.
'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.
'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.
'Pokémon Go' gamified walking, so now 'Pokémon Sleep' scores your naps
So how will the Pokémon Company follow up the success of Niantic's Pokémon Go? At a press conference today they revealed Pokémon Sleep, a new mobile game that tracks your time sleeping to unlock new characters. It's being made by Pokémon Magikarp developer Select Button. There's also some new hardware with a Pokémon Go Plus + that works as a sleep tracker thanks to its integrated accelerometry, and also works just like the $35 Pokémon Go Plus accessory for use with that game.
The 2016 Pokémon World Championships kick off today
The 2016 Pokémon World Championships are being taken to the next level as they kick off today. This year, the event is to be closed to the general public, so if you're not actually competing in the tournament, the only way you're going to be able to watch it is via official online streams.
Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, Omega Ruby soundtracks now on iTunes
If you found an iTunes gift card stuffed in your stocking this week, feel free to think of it as a real-world Master Ball from the Pokemon series. Why? Because you can use it to capture Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre (or at least their theme songs) thanks to the recent release of the Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire soundtracks. There are 160 songs waiting to be captured by your iPod/computer hard drive, all for $9.99. We gave the games four and a half stars in our review, writing that, "Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire do little to overhaul the major pillars of a series that's long relied on the same set of classic ideas, but they don't have to. The core mechanics of Pokemon remain immensely addictive, and Game Freak's latest coat of polish only enhances an already captivating adventure." [Image: The Pokemon Company/Nintendo]
Did You Know Gaming explores Pokemon's complicated religious relationship
There are a few universal truths in the world of Pokemon: Water-type beats Fire-type, gods can be tamed by 10-year olds, and battles between citizens can be sparked by something as small as walking into one another's line of sight. Actually, that last point is particularly poignant given the nature of the latest video from Did You Know Gaming, which explores one of the more sour aspects of the relationship between Pokemon games and real-world religions. The good news is that, despite some troubling proclamations, pretty much every claim of Pokemon being anti-religion (or anti- a specific religious belief) has been debunked, sometimes from within the religious community in question. Even a television station run by the Vatican said that the series did not have "any harmful moral side effects" and was instead based on "ties of intense friendship." Not all of this episode is negative, though. Pokemon have long been inspired by religious and spiritual stories and symbols, such as the lightning bolts on Kadabra's abdomen and the designs of Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza. And then of course there was that time that Pokemon created its own quasi-religion, an event curiously absent from the video above. And that's when the world learned its lesson, and no one overreacted or condemned something unjustly ever again. Ever. [Image: Nintendo/DYK Gaming]
Report: Pokemon Omega/Alpha ships 7.7 million worldwide
Pokemon is turning Ruby and Sapphire into gold again, after the 3DS remakes reportedly hit 7.7 million shipments worldwide. According to an announcement published by Famitsu (via Siliconera), last week's European arrival of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire provided a boost in the form of 35 percent more launch sales compared to Pokemon X and Y. While Joystiq's Earnest "Nex" Cavalli didn't see the conversion factor in Pokemon ORAS, he did see plenty of "evolution and refinement" in the GBA games' remakes. "Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire do little to overhaul the major pillars of a series that's long relied on the same set of classic ideas, but they don't have to," Nex concluded in his review. "The core mechanics of Pokemon remain immensely addictive, and Game Freak's latest coat of polish only enhances an already captivating adventure."
Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire score Pokemon's biggest UK launch
In Brit-news, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire out-debuted Pokemon X and Y by 17 percent, earning the series' biggest launch in UK charts history. The 3DS remakes hit 3 million sales in 3 days ahead of last week's launch in Britain, where they topped DS titles Black and White to capture the country's Poke-record. The two games landed in sixth and seventh in this week's charts, but combined they'd have charted in third. As for the rest of the top ten, it was a case of big-selling musical chairs at the summit and underwhelming debuts for exclusives. Starting at the top, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare took back the No. 1 spot from Grand Theft Auto 5, which fell to third with FIFA 15 up to second. Lower down, PS4 racer Driveclub rose to eighth with a massive 999 percent jump in sales on the back of Black Friday console promotions. November 28 wasn't as prolific a day for two big-profile launches, though. Super Smash Bros. only rose to 13th following the arrival of its Wii U version, while LittleBigPlanet 3 came in even lower in 18th.
Pokemon Omega/Alpha anime short doesn't really need English
With Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire out this Friday, November 21, why not commemorate the 3DS remakes with a snippet of anime? It may be in Japanese, but at this point Pokemon is all but its own language anyway.
Pokemon Omega/Alpha 'dual pack' has healing powers [Update]
Nintendo is packaging both versions of its upcoming Pokemon remake together, though the benefit to buying both games in one box isn't monetary. While both Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will debut next month for $40 each, the "dual pack" bundle will still cost $80. The catch to Nintendo's two-for-two-in-different-packaging deal is that both games come with individual download codes that give players 100 potions in each game, making the familiar journey a tad easier. Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire were announced for 3DS in May as "fresh takes" on the 2003 Game Boy Advance games. Like last year's Pokemon X and Y, the games feature a load of mega-evolved versions of existing 'mon. Players can still obtain a download code to access the game's demo in the next few days by purchasing one of a handful of apps or games. Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will launch on November 21. Update: As a minor point of clarification, the dual pack is exclusive to Best Buy stores. [Image: Nintendo]
Camp Pokemon collects pins and stickers on iOS
Nintendo launched yet another Pokemon-themed game on iOS this week, a mini-game collection of sorts called Camp Pokemon. Like the Pokemon Trading Card Game Online app that arrived on iPad in late September, the game is free to download, though in this case it's available for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users. Camp Pokemon is geared toward a younger audience, as players complete a variety of activities on an island, earning pins and stickers for their accomplishments. The mini-game events include a pokeball throwing game and quizzes that test players' knowledge of evolutions, battle matchups and more. It's not exactly a traditional style of Pokemon game, but may tide a few players over while they await the launch of Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby on November 21. The Sapphire and Ruby remakes will receive a demo on November 7, though Nintendo is requiring a little legwork to obtain access codes for the trial game. [Image: Nintendo]
Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire capture more Mega Evolutions
As Pokemon X / Y taught us last year, permanent evolution is for chumps! Single battle-spanning Mega Evolutions are the new hotness, and the upcoming Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire remakes are progressing accordingly: A recent edition of CoroCoro (which Serebii translated and posted scans of) has revealed Mega Evolutions of Latios, Latias, Pidgeot and Beedrill. Though Mega Latios and Latias weren't detailed, Serebii reports that Mega Pidgeot is a Normal/Flying type with the No Guard ability, while Mega Beedrill is Bug/Poison and capable of Adaptability. Serebii states that while strolling through the Hoenn region's overworld, Pokemasters can ride Mega Latios and Latias into the sky to find Dialga, Plakia, Reshiram, Zekrom and other Pokemon in the clouds. Serebii adds that islands inhabited by the notable Pokemon can only be accessed via flight, and that players will be able to find all non-event legendary Pokemon. There are also details about the MultiNavi PokeNav, which offers MapNavi, TVNavi, PlayNavi (think Pokemon Amie and the Global Trade Station) and DexNavi, which "helps you find Pokemon in the wild and register them in your Pokedex." Though Latias and Latios will still only appear in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire respectively, CoroCoro will distribute a serial code version of the Eon Ticket, an item tied to real-world events that lets players capture whichever eon Pokemon they're missing. We'll have to hope for a similar opportunity once wild copies of Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire appear on store shelves on November 21. If you're struggling to wait that long, you can join our prowl through the eShop's tall grass in search of a demo preceding the duo's launch. [Image: The Pokemon Company]
Pokemon TCG Online out today for iPad in North America
An iOS adaptation of Pokemon's official Trading Card Game has hit the iTunes App Store in Europe and Australia, and will be available as a free download for iPad owners in North America later today. Pokemon TCG Online is a deck-building competitive card game that features characters and settings culled from Nintendo's long-running Pokemon series. The game offers ranked multiplayer tournaments in addition to head-to-head battles against online opponents, and cards earned in the app carry over to linked Pokemon Trainer Club accounts, allowing players to resume their progress in the desktop version of the game. Today's release follows up on Pokemon TCG Online's recent soft launch in Canada, kicking off a worldwide release across several regions. Pokemon TCG Online requires an iPad with Retina display, so make sure you meet the minimum requirements before downloading. [Image: The Pokemon Company]
Pokemon TCG Online app deals to Canadian-type Pokemasters
Canadians looking for a card battler beyond Hearthstone can search iTunes' deck for Pokemon TCG Online, The Pokemon Company's free app that hosts both player-vs-computer and online Pokebattles. In Pokemon TCG Online, players can unlock cards, earn booster packs and build custom decks as they accumulate spoils from battles, all of which are tied to a Pokemon Trainer Club account. Newcomers will find support in the app's tutorials, though they'll face the same question for their starter decks that so many routinely face in the Pokemon series: water, fire or grass? In order to play, Pokemasters will need to match or excel the base hardware requirements of an iPad 3 or iPad mini with Retina display. Hopefully Pokemon TCG Online's soft launch will lead to an iOS debut in other territories soon, but if you need a more immediate way to play a few battles, there's always the version for PC and Mac. [Image: The Pokemon Company International]
2DS to go see-through in EU with new designs, out in Nov.
Two new transparent 2DS skins are coming to Europe in November, letting continentals take a peek at the innards of the 3DS variants. The red and blue models first launch in the region on November 7, with Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby bundles arriving alongside the Poke-remakes on November 28. Nintendo of Europe didn't disclose prices in its press release (2DS standalones are regularly priced £110 on Nintendo UK's online store) The transparent bundles clearly come with the games pre-installed on a 4GB memory card, with the red system including Omega Ruby and the blue system Alpha Sapphire.
Don't you step on my blue suede Pokemon New 3DS
Nintendo's New 3DS is getting Poke-themed limited editions in Japan to mark the launch of Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby. The red Groudon and blue Kyogre systems are coming to the country's Pokemon Center stores alongside the games on November 21, and both handhelds feature suede faceplates for that extra luxurious feel you've always craved maybe when capturing pocket monsters. If you want in it's 19,000 yen (around $177) a piece, and they don't come with copies of the games. The New 3DS itself launches in Japan on October 11 in both regular and XL models, and its New features include the right-hand analog C-stick, ZL and ZR shoulder buttons, built-in NFC tech, greater battery life, improved CPU and customizable faceplates, suede or otherwise. As for when the New 3DS launches outside of Japan, Nintendo's ruled out bringing it West in this calendar year. But you can nab Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby when the two 3DS remakes launch in North America on November 21 and Europe on November 28. [Image: The Pokemon Company]
Earn Pokemon Alpha, Omega rewards in upcoming demo
Nintendo will offer a demo version of Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire prior to the games' launches, according to its official site. The "early visit" to the games' Hoenn region will include "gameplay that you won't experience anywhere else," as well as a familiar Pokemon that is capable of Mega Evolving. Those that play the demo will be able to transfer said creature in addition to reward items to the full version of the game. Nintendo did not specify when the demo would be made available, but did mention that fans will be able to play it as many times as they like (some 3DS demos are limited in the number of times they can be accessed). The demo will also feature "special scenarios that occur if you play every day." Nintendo will reveal instructions on how players can obtain a code in the near future. The Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire remakes will launch November 21 for 3DS. [Image: Nintendo]
Mystery patent points to new device from The Pokemon Company
A patent recently filed by Nintendo, Ambrella and The Pokemon Company suggests that a new gadget is in the works, but details beyond that are scant. According to the filing, the device would be an "information processing apparatus" with wireless communication capabilities and the ability to read NFC and RFID chips (like those found in Nintendo's Amiibo figures), along with the integrated circuit chips most commonly seen in credit cards. The mystery device was invented by Norio Matsumura, director at Ambrella and a frequent collaborator on Pokemon games. Matsumura's involvement, along with the patent filing which lists The Pokemon Company as one of three assignees indicates that the device will have some link to Nintendo's intensely popular monster catching franchise, though here again details are sorely lacking. While NeoGAF commenters have concluded that this patent is some kind of Pokemon gaming system, the patent filing does not offer enough information to support that idea. It could just as easily be a real-world Pokedex analogue or something completely unrelated to diminutive Japanese monsters. Only time will tell what Nintendo has in store, but while we wait, we invite you to leave your ideas on what this gadget might be in the comments below. Best response wins nothing, but your parents will be proud. [Image: Nintendo]
