Today at 10 a.m., thePokémon Direct was broadcast, where Game Freak announced new features for Pokémon Sword & Shield in a 15-minute live stream:

YouTube

The announced features include:

Dynamax

Right from the start, the new element in battles across the Galar region was shown: Dynamax, which lets one of your Pokémon become gigantic for three turns, increasing its stats in the process and turning its moves into more powerful versions of themselves.

PokeDyna Raichu after using Dynamax

Gym battles in the Galar region will implement this mechanic and will even take place in large stadiums—with a big crowd!—to accommodate the giant Pokémon.

Pokémon_gym Gym Leader Milo and his Eldegoss in its Dynamax form

Wild Area

In addition to the conventional wild areas in Pokémon, where it is possible to capture the little monsters in tall grass, the Galar region will have the Wild Area, an enormous zone connecting cities where countless different Pokémon will roam around the hub world depending on the time and weather.

PokeWildArea Wild Area at night

Because this area will focus more on exploration, it will feature a free camera.

Max Raid Battles

Giant Pokémon can be challenged as a group in Max Raid Battles, where players can connect with up to three others who will have to coordinate to defeat and capture the powerful little monsters.

PokeDynamaxRaid Max Raid Battle against a Weavile

Although the mechanic is very similar to the Raid Battles inPokémon Go, it has its own peculiarities: besides following the franchise's traditional style, one of the four trainers' Pokémon will be able to use Dynamax.

The Pokémon available for Max Raid Battles will also vary according to the location and in-game weather.

New Pokémon

Although the game includes Pokémon from several regions, some new ones were revealed. They are:

  • Corviknight, the Raven Pokémon, which will be used as a means of transportation similar to the Ride Pokémon in the Alola region, taking the player to previously visited cities
  • Wooloo, the Sheep Pokémon
  • Gossifleur, the Flowering Pokémon
  • Eldegoss, the Cotton Bloom Pokémon, the evolution of Gossifleur
  • Drednaw, the Bite Pokémon

Image 5 from the section New Pokémon in Pokémon Sword & Shield Has Giant Battles, New Monsters, and More Gossifleur, Wooloo, and Drednaw, respectively. Source: Serebii

In addition to these, the legendary Pokémon that will serve as the mascots of the two games were also shown:

  • Zacian
  • Zamazenta

PokeLegendary Zacian and Zamazenta

As their appearances suggest, they will be the mascots of Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, respectively.

Characters

Some of the characters in the game's story were revealed. They are:

  • Leon, the region's champion, admired by the public
  • Hop, his younger brother, who is also the protagonist's rival on the journey
  • Magnolia, the region's professor, who is dedicated to studying the Dynamax phenomenon
  • Sonia, her assistant
  • Milo, the grass-type Gym Leader

Pokémon_Leon Champion Leon

PokeMagnolia Professor Magnolia

Release

Finally, the game's release date was confirmed as November 15 in a global launch.

PokeBundle Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Double Pack

The games will also be sold in a bundle called the Double Pack, containing both Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.

Watch the full new trailer:

YouTube