Pokémon Sword and Shield

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Pokémon SWORD and SHIELD are 2019 [[role-playing video game]]s developed by [[Game Freak]] and published by [[The Pokémon Company]] and [[Nintendo]] for the [[Nintendo Switch]]. They are the first installments in the eighth generation of the [[Pokémon (video game series)|”Pokémon” video game series]] and the second in the series, following [[Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!|”Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and ”Let’s Go, Eevee!”]], released on a [[home game console]]. Originally teased at [[E3 2017]] and announced in February 2019, ”Pokémon Sword” and ”Shield” were released in November 2019. The games received two [[downloadable content]] [[expansion pack]]s through an expansion pass with ”[[Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Isle of Armor|The Isle of Armor]]”, released in June 2020 and ”[[Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra|The Crown Tundra]]”, released in October 2020. A physical bundle including both expansion packs with the base games was released in November 2020.

{{Nihongo foot|””’Pokémon Sword””’|ポケットモンスター ソード|Poketto Monsutā Sōdo|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} and {{Nihongo foot|””’Pokémon Shield””’|ポケットモンスター シールド|Poketto Monsutā Shīrudo|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} are 2019 [[role-playing video game]]s developed by [[Game Freak]] and published by [[The Pokémon Company]] and [[Nintendo]] for the [[Nintendo Switch]]. They are the first installments in the eighth generation of the [[Pokémon (video game series)|”Pokémon” video game series]] and the second in the series, following [[Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!|”Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and ”Let’s Go, Eevee!”]], released on a [[home game console]]. Originally teased at [[E3 2017]] and announced in February 2019, ”Pokémon Sword” and ”Shield” were released in November 2019. The games received two [[downloadable content]] [[expansion pack]]s through an expansion pass with ”[[Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Isle of Armor|The Isle of Armor]]”, released in June 2020 and ”[[Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra|The Crown Tundra]]”, released in October 2020. A physical bundle including both expansion packs with the base games was released in November 2020.

”Sword” and ”Shield”{{‘s}} concept planning began immediately following the completion of [[Pokémon Sun and Moon|”Pokémon Sun” and ”Moon”]] in 2016, while full production began a year later in September 2017. Like previous installments, they chronicle the journey of a young Pokémon trainer aiming to become the Pokémon Champion, this time in the new Galar region, which is based on the [[United Kingdom]]. The main objective of the games is to dethrone the Pokémon League Champion, Leon, in a tournament that various other Gym Leaders and rivals also take part in, whilst dealing with Team Yell and a nefarious conspiracy within the League. ”Sword” and ”Shield” introduce [[List of generation VIII Pokémon|81 new Pokémon]] alongside [[List of generation VIII Pokémon#Galarian Forms|13 regional forms]] of pre-existing Pokémon; Dynamaxing, which increases the size of Pokémon under certain conditions; Gigantamaxing, which additionally changes the form of certain Pokémon; and the Wild Area, which is a large, open-world area with free camera movement that contains co-op raid battles. The two games also reintroduce features previously seen in ”Sun” and ”Moon” and ”Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and ”Let’s Go, Eevee!”, such as regional forms and roaming Pokémon depicted in the overworld.

”Sword” and ”Shield”{{‘s}} concept planning began immediately following the completion of [[Pokémon Sun and Moon|”Pokémon Sun” and ”Moon”]] in 2016, while full production began a year later in September 2017. Like previous installments, they chronicle the journey of a young Pokémon trainer aiming to become the Pokémon Champion, this time in the new Galar region, which is based on the [[United Kingdom]]. The main objective of the games is to dethrone the Pokémon League Champion, Leon, in a tournament that various other Gym Leaders and rivals also take part in, whilst dealing with Team Yell and a nefarious conspiracy within the League. ”Sword” and ”Shield” introduce [[List of generation VIII Pokémon|81 new Pokémon]] alongside [[List of generation VIII Pokémon#Galarian Forms|13 regional forms]] of pre-existing Pokémon; Dynamaxing, which increases the size of Pokémon under certain conditions; Gigantamaxing, which additionally changes the form of certain Pokémon; and the Wild Area, which is a large, open-world area with free camera movement that contains co-op raid battles. The two games also reintroduce features previously seen in ”Sun” and ”Moon” and ”Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and ”Let’s Go, Eevee!”, such as regional forms and roaming Pokémon depicted in the overworld.