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.
Announcement trailer
Date: 27th February, 2019 • Length: 2:13
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
Nintendo Treehouse Live
Date: 11th June, 2019 • Length: 31:33
Gigantamaxing Changes the Game
Date: 8th July, 2019 • Length: 2:02
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
New battle mechanics
Date: 16th August, 2019 • Length: 2:26
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
Camping, Alcremie flavors, new Pokémon
Date: 4th September, 2019 • Length: 3:22
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
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
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
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
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
Galar Research Recap
Date: 11th November, 2019 • Length: 1:26
Exploring the Wild Area
Date: 18th November, 2019 • Length: 1:20
Expansion Pass announcement trailer
Date: 9th January, 2020 • Length: 3:49
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
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
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
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
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.