Nintendo Switch Longplay [033] Pokemon: Sword (Part 5/12)
2Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are 2019 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch console. They are the first instalments in the eighth generation of the Pokémon video game series. First teased at E3 2017 and announced in February 2019, the games were released in November 2019. The games were accompanied by a downloadable content (DLC) expansion pass consisting of Part 1—The Isle of Armor (released in June 2020) and Part 2—The Crown Tundra (October 2020).
Conceptualization began immediately following the completion of Pokémon Sun and Moon in 2016, while full development began a year later in September 2017. Like previous instalments, the games follow a young Pokémon trainer as they train and battle Pokémon, aiming to become a Pokémon Champion. The games introduced many new features including the Dynamax/Gigantamax mechanic, a gigantic-size Pokémon transformation.
When the decision to exclude many pre-existing Pokémon from Sword and Shield was announced, it triggered backlash from fans and resulted in a controversy known as "Dexit". In spite of this, Sword and Shield received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the games' gameplay, exploration, and mechanics, although the visuals, as well as the lack of depth and innovation, received some criticism. As of September 2023, the games had sold more than 26.02 million copies worldwide, making them the second best-selling titles in the Pokémon video game series. The games were nominated for numerous awards and won the SXSW Gaming Awards and Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards 2019.