Several hours ago, the Pokémon 2018 Video Game Press Conference was held in Tokyo, and officially revealed a great deal of new information concerning upcoming... well, Pokémon video games. And it was an eventful press conference alright - confirming some rumors, putting others into context, and revealing some exciting new things to look forward to.
First announced was Pokémon Quest - a spinoff "free-to-start" (complete with micro-transactions as per any other game of its kind) action-RPG set on "Tumblecube Island", featuring Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region given a new cube-based voxel style. The game seems to be focused on having teams of three Pokémon run around, explore, find treasures and put together ingredients to create new things in what is totally not an attempt to be Minecraft. Not at all. Pokémon Quest is available for the Nintendo Switch right now, and is to be released on mobile platforms later this year, probably in late June.
Trailer for Pokéminecrafton Quest.
The second announcement was a confirmation of the latest batch of rumours. Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu and Pokémon Let's Go! Eevee have been confirmed as actual games - Nintendo Switch RPGs taking place in Kanto (again), inspired by Pokémon Yellow (because of course) and featuring Pikachu and Eevee as your Starter Pokémon (obviously). Mercifully, these two games are actually not the next main-series entries, but are rather spin-offs of their own right, heavily based on - and interconnected with - Pokémon Go.
It is, in essence, a Pokémon Go Simulator But In Kanto™. The two games run on an engine fairly similar in looks to the Sun/Moon engine (though with a rather different looking battle engine) and have been confirmed to feature only the original 151 Pokémon found in Kanto (though apparently they may also contain their Alola forms). As in Go, Pokémon wander on the map, there are no wild battles (instead you hurl balls at Pokémon using your Joy-Cons) though trainer-battles appear to return. As in Go, there also appears to be some kind of an equivalent of the buddy system, as at least one Pokémon follows you around and it may be possible to even ride some of them.
Multiple Switch accounts enable some form of multiple save files (one per profile) and the game features some rudimentary two-player multiplayer, allowing another player with another switch account to join in the game, engage in double battles with local NPCs (though to what degree are the battles like the main games or like Go is currently unknown) and co-operate in catching Pokémon by flinging Pokéballs at the same time. Go and Let's Go can interconnect, with certain things and Pokémon being transferable between the two. The Pikachu and Eevee starters (which appear to function as some kind of mascots and tend to hang to your character rather than actually having any much use in-game) have some customization options in the shape of optional outfits, though whether these are aesthetic only or not remains to be seen.
Accompanying the release of Let's Go is a new peripheral (Bluetooth-powered and, naturally, sold separately, not unlike the Pokémon GO Plus) - the Pokéball Plus. Aside from being usable to catch Pokémon in the game itself (as an alternative to the Joy-Cons), you can upload a Pokémon from the game into the device and carry it around (apparently shaking it a bit while a Pokémon is inside it sounds said Pokémon's cry for Extra Immersion), and apparently "Good things may happen" if you do. The Pokéball Plus is said to also connect to Pokémon Go in some capacity - probably similar to the game itself connecting to it.
Lastly, It has been announced that one brand-new Pokémon will be featured in Pokémon Let's Go!, though the identity of said Pokémon has not been confirmed. The internet appears to suspect a new Eeveelution, but nothing is confirmed - your guesses are as good as ours.
Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu and Pokémon Let's Go! Eevee are slated for release November 16, 2018.
The Let's Go Reveal Trailer.
Lastly it has been confirmed that an actual, bona-fide, honest-to-deities Main Series Pokémon game is indeed in development for the Nintendo Switch, and is slated for release in the second half of 2019. What manner of awesomeness it may bring? When are we to expect any news on something that isn't a spinoff? What is this mysterious all-new Pokémon to be first revealed in Let's Go? Any thoughts, wishes, or dashed hopes concerning these upcoming titles? Be sure to tell us in the comments!
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