Pokémon Sword/Shield videos

Sword & Shield were announced in a Pokémon Direct on Pokémon Day - February 27th 2019. Further videos detailing new features will be posted in the run up to the games' release. This page lists them all, in order from oldest first. Click each thumbnail to watch the video.

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Announcement trailer

Date: 27th February, 2019 • Length: 2:13

Announcement trailer

Our first view of Sword & Shield features picturesque hills, with the protagonist living in a countryside cottage. Various areas are shown including a lake, misty forest, a red-brick industrial town. Pokémon encounters are shown to have returned to the classic format, appearing randomly in grass rather than the overworld. Old Pokémon like Pikachu and Minccino appear.

After a few more battle scenes more areas are seen: a snowy town, an underground mine with a railroad, a Pokémon version of the Cerne Abbas Giant chalk hill figure. The trainer then walks out into a large stadium, which could be a gym.

A pre-animated scene (not actual game footage) follows which shows off the three starter Pokémon. Scorbunny runs up a large cog, then leaves fiery footprints in the grass. Sobble puts out the fire and camouflages itself in a fountain, but is easily startled. Grookey taps its stick on a rock then climbs to the top of a building.

Pokémon Direct

Date: 5th June, 2019 • Length: 16:41

Pokémon Direct

A new Pokémon Direct showing new Pokémon plus features including the Wild Area, Dynamax, and new characters.

Nintendo Treehouse Live

Date: 11th June, 2019 • Length: 31:33

Nintendo Treehouse Live

Extended gameplay at the E3 expo from Nintendo Treehouse. The Wild Area is explored and a Max Raid Battle is featured.

Gigantamaxing Changes the Game

Date: 8th July, 2019 • Length: 2:02

Gigantamaxing Changes the Game

In a Galar stadium some new Pokémon are introduced: Alcremie, Yamper, Rolycoly, Duraludon. Then we meet some new characters Chairman Rose, Oleana and gym leaders Bea and Allister.

The Gigantamax phenomenon is shown, with Pokémon such as Alcremie and Drednaw changing their look entirely and learning exclusive moves.

Galarian forms and new rivals

Date: 7th August, 2019 • Length: 2:00

Galarian forms and new rivals

Galarian forms are introduced: Weezing, Zigzagoon, and Linoone. Galarian Linoone gets a new evolution, Obstagoon. A new form-changing Pokémon Morpeko switches from Full Belly Mode to Hangry Mode each turn.
New rivals, Bede and Marnie are shown, plus Marnie's wild fans, Team Yell.

New battle mechanics

Date: 16th August, 2019 • Length: 2:26

New battle mechanics

New battle strategies for Sowrd & Shield. Galarian Weezing's ability Neutralizing Gas is demonstrated, followed by new items Room Service and Eject Pack. Corviknight has a hidden ability Mirror Armor. Lastly, various Dynamax mechanics are showcased.

Gamescom footage

Date: 20th August, 2019 • Length: 2:14

Gamescom footage

The director of Pokémon Sword & Shield, Shigeru Ohmori, presents some gameplay footage of an early town in the games. We see the Pokémon Research Lab, a railway station, the Pokémon Center, grocery store and clothes boutique.

Camping, Alcremie flavors, new Pokémon

Date: 4th September, 2019 • Length: 3:22

Camping, Alcremie flavors, new Pokémon

New Pokémon are introduced: Cramorant, whose Gulp Missile ability catches a fish and fires it at the opponent, and Polteageist, a ghost in a teapot.

Next, the camping feature is shown. Various games can be played with Pokémon and you can visit other players' camps. Alcremie is seen in the camp and it's revealed to have multiple flavors. Curry can also be cooked in the camps.

Finally, we see various clothing customizations and League Cards are shown.

Sirfetch'd reveal

Date: 18th September, 2019 • Length: 0:36

Sirfetch'd reveal

A short teaser following that reveals a new Galarian evolution: Sirfetch'd, which is exclusive to Pokémon Sword.

Galarian Ponyta reveal

Date: 9th October, 2019 • Length: 0:25

Galarian Ponyta reveal

Following the Pokemon Live Camera event where a Ponyta-like Pokémon was seen, another short video is released officially confirming it as Galarian Ponyta.

G I G A N T A M A X

Date: 16th October, 2019 • Length: 2:31

G I G A N T A M A X

New Gigantamax forms are revealed, with various battle footage being shown: Pikachu with G-Max Volt Crash; Gigantamax Eevee with G-Max Cuddle; Gigantamax Charizard with G-Max Wildfire; Gigantamax Butterfree with G-Max Befuddle; Gigantamax Meowth with G-Max Gold Rush.

TV commercial

Date: 24th October, 2019 • Length: 0:30

TV commercial

A short advert that features a huge swarm of Pokémon. It starts with a retro pixelated Pikachu in a realistic setting and progresses through Nintendo's handheld consoles, showing Pokémon as they were in that generation up to the 3D models of X/Y and Sun/Moon. All the different sprites converge on a large mountain and are transformed into their high-resolution 3D versions for the Nintendo Switch.

Items and Features

Date: 6th November, 2019 • Length: 1:37

Items and Features

Various Quality of Life features are displayed: Mints can change a Pokémon's Nature; multiple vitamins can be used at once; Pokémon in the Nursery can learn egg moves from the same species; Pokémon storage boxes can be accessed anywhere; and Exp. Candies from Pokémon Let's Go make a return.

Galar Research Recap

Date: 11th November, 2019 • Length: 1:26

Galar Research Recap

Many short gameplay clips quickly fly by. Runerigus and Mr. Rime are introduced.

Exploring the Wild Area

Date: 18th November, 2019 • Length: 1:20

Exploring the Wild Area

An INCREDIBLE EXCITING video of the player... ambling around the wild area with no purpose.

Expansion Pass announcement trailer

Date: 9th January, 2020 • Length: 3:49

Expansion Pass announcement trailer

A new Pokémon Direct announces an Expansion Pass for Pokémon Sword & Shield. Through various artwork, new locations and characters are revealed including: Galarian Slowpoke; Gigantamax forms for Venusaur, Blastoise, Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon; new Regi forms; Galarian Articuno/Zapdos/Moltres; legendary Pokémon Kubfu and Urshifu; and a mythical Pokémon Calyrex. The EP comes in two parts: The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra

Zarude

Date: 27th February, 2020 • Length: 0:36

Zarude

On Pokémon Day a new Mythical Pokémon is revealed: Zarude. This short clip reveals its type/ability and shows it in action.

Expansion Pass Gigantamax

Date: 26th March, 2020 • Length: 2:15

Expansion Pass Gigantamax

The new Gigantamax forms for the Galar starters and their exclusive moves are revealed. Rillaboom gets a drum kit and can use G Max Drum Solo; Cinderace has a giant fireball and learns G Max Fireball; Inteleon becomes a tall spiral and learns G Max Hydrosnipe.

New trainer outfits and League Card designs are shown, then we see more details on Kubfu and the option to evolve it into Rapid-Strike Style or Single-Strike Style.

Explore the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra

Date: 2nd June, 2020 • Length: 3:05

Explore the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra

An adorable Galarian Slowbro takes a nap. Various snippets of exploration of both the Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra are cycled through. Gigantamax Venusaur and Blastoise are seen in action (Blastoise actually uses its cannons!). The two forms of Gigantamax Urshifu are introduced. Mysterious ruins are encountered where new Regi Pokémon reside, and then Galarian forms of the Kanto legendary birds all appear together.

Crown Tundra overview

Date: 29th September, 2020 • Length: 10:56

Crown Tundra overview

Various gameplay footage from The Crown Tundra is shown, including Galarian Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. Dynamax Adventure allows battling and capturing many Legendary Pokémon. The Galarian Star Tournament features many gym leaders and trainers from across Galar. Following the trailer, the features are explained in more detail for the rest of the video. Finally, Pokémon GO connectivity is explained.