A new Pokémon Sword and Shield trailer revealed the games' enemy team, two new rivals, Galarian forms of old Pokémon and a few entirely new Pokémon. The short trailer was teased this Monday as one of Pokémon Sword and Shield's "Galar Research Updates."
Pokémon Sword and Shield have been surrounded by controversy for some time now, as it was revealed at E3 2019 that the games would not include the National Dex, which means not all Pokémon will be playable in the game. This has caused a significant amount of uproar in the Pokémon community. Following fans' outcries, Pokémon Sword and Shield's producer issued a statement about the controversy, but only to tell fans that the missing Pokémon could appear in future games, indirectly confirming that developer GameFreak would not be changing its decision. Still, the arrival of any new Pokémon game naturally brings with it many exciting new features for fans, such as Sword and Shield's exclusive gym leaders and new Pokémon to capture and train.
Today's Pokémon Sword and Shield trailer revealed just that: brand new Pokémon. The trailer revealed the long-rumored Galarian Forms (a successor to Pokémon Sun and Moon's Alolan Forms) which bring alternative forms of existing Pokémon only found in the Galar region. The first Galar variant shown off was Galarian Weezing, which turns the toxic gas-spewing Pokémon gray, adds gaseous green facial hair to both its faces, and adds a huge, top hat-like smokestack to each of its heads. Weezing's Galarian form also gives it the Fairy type in addition to its usual Poison type. Next, the trailer showed Galarian Zigzagoon and Linoone, which turn the ferret-like Pokémon into Normal/Dark-types, badger-looking 'mons. Galarian Linoone received a brand new evolution, transforming into the intimidating Obstagoon. Finally, the trailer revealed Morpeko, which appears to be this generation's Pikachu clone. Morpeko has an Electric-type form ("Full Belly Mode") that changes into a Dark-type form ("Hangry Mode") when it uses the move Aura Wheel.
The trailer also revealed two new rivals: Bede, who appears to be a snotty rich kid with a long coat, and Marnie, a punky trainer with pigtails. Pokémon Sword and Shield's newly revealed enemy team, Team Yell, are huge fans of Marnie that will do anything to ensure she becomes Galar's new champion. Team Yell swings towels printed with an image of Marnie and blow horns when she battles. The Pokémon website revealed an additional new feature called Poké Jobs, which allow you to send your unused Pokémon out to help Galar's inhabitants in exchange for experience.
In addition to the reveal of Sword and Shield Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing, the elements revealed in this trailer seem to further confirm a supposed leak posted anonymously on 4Chan earlier this year. The leak predicted the names of the Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing features, the name of Team Yell, the names of all three rivals revealed so far (Hop, Bede and Marnie) and several other features. While parts of the Pokémon Sword and Shield leak are still yet to be confirmed, its accuracy so far is notable, and it's likely to be mostly (if not entirely) correct.
Source: Pokémon/YouTube