More information about Pokémon Sword and Shield coming on October 16

What you need to know

  • It's Game Freak's 30th Anniversary.
  • To celebrate, Game Freak says it will reveal the latest information about Pokémon Sword and Shield via a live stream.
  • The live stream starts Wednesday, October 16 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET.

It's strange to think that Game Freak is turning 30. The company's first Pokémon games released back in 1996 and Pokémon quickly became a household name after that. Now the company has released seven generations of Pokémon games, and is getting ready to release Gen 8 with Pokémon Sword and Shield. As we draw closer and closer to the November 15th release date for these new games more information is slowly leaking out.

Earlier this month, the gaming company showed off Galarian Ponyta a new version of an existing Pokémon that will be exclusive to Pokémon Shield. Now, in order to celebrate the 30th anniversary, we get to watch a live stream from Japan that will be translated into English. We're not sure what will be revealed during this stream, but we do know that it starts Wednesday, October 16 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET.

If you click on the live stream link, you'll find three hashtags listed just below the streaming window. They are #LittleTownHero #GIGAWRECKERALT #PokemonSwordShield. It's possible these mentions are simply here to bolster Game Freak's upcoming games. Or, it might indicate that we'll be learning about Little Town Hero and Giga Wrecker alt in addition to Pokémon Sword and Shield during this live stream.

It wouldn't be too surprising for Game Freak to talk about the first game since Little Town Hero releases today. We aren't certain. At any rate, we'll watch the live stream and report on it as soon as possible. Check back at iMore for more Pokémon Sword and Shield news.

Rebecca Spear
Gaming Editor

Gaming aficionado Rebecca Spear is iMore's dedicated gaming editor with a focus on Nintendo Switch and iOS gaming. You’ll never catch her without her Switch or her iPad Air handy. If you’ve got a question about Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, or just about any other Nintendo series check out her guides to help you out. Rebecca has written thousands of articles in the last six years including hundreds of extensive gaming guides, previews, and reviews for both Switch and Apple Arcade. She also loves checking out new gaming accessories like iPhone controllers and has her ear to the ground when it comes to covering the next big trend.