Skip to main content

What you need to know about the new Pokémon Presents event

Nintendo will premiere its Pokémon Presents event on Wednesday, June 17, on the official Pokémon YouTube channel. The stream centers around the new Isle of Armor expansion for Pokémon Sword and Shield.

“We have Pokémon news,” the official Pokémon Twitter account announced on June 16. “You want Pokémon news.”

Expect a deep dive into the Isle of Armor DLC, as well as new information about The Crown Tundra expansion scheduled for later in the year. More franchise information may be revealed as well, based on hints on the Pokémon Japan Twitter account. Pokémon Presents is a new branding title for the presentation; Pokémon information previously appeared under the Pokémon Direct moniker.

How can I watch Pokémon Presents?

The stream begins at 6 a.m. PT/ 9 a.m. ET, and there’s already a countdown on the YouTube channel. It’s expected to last about 11 minutes, according to a tweet from the Japanese Pokémon account.

“We will deliver Pokémon Presents as a premiere on the official YouTube channel of Pokemon from Wednesday, June 17! Information on Pokemon Sword Shield Expansion Pass will be broadcast for about 11 minutes, so please look forward to it!” the translated tweet said.

The Isle of Armor, the first of two planned DLC expansions for Pokémon Sword and Shield, goes live tomorrow.

What do I need to know about Isle of Armor before Pokémon Presents?

Isle of Armor is available in the Nintendo eShop for $30 as part of the expansion pass, and players will later gain access to The Crown Tundra, scheduled for release in the fall. The Isle of Armor expansion to Pokémon Sword and Shield features a new area of the Galar region of the game and new Pokémon that you can’t find anywhere else.

Players will be able to play in new environments like sand dunes and beaches, as well as experience a new dojo with a trainer named Mustard.

One of the new features is the Cram-o-Matic, which recycles four different items into new ones such as Poké Balls and PP Ups. Players can take these newly crafted items for use along their journey in the Galar region.

New Pokémon called Gigantamax Blastoise, Galarian Slowbro, and Gigantamax Venusaur will also make appearances in the DLC.

Flock launches this July, and you can watch its hypnotic new trailer here
A character flies on a bird in Flock.

Publisher Annapurna Interactive's next title, Flock, has a new summer release date. The oddball nature-classification game will launch on July 16 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. It will launch as part of Xbox Game Pass on that date, too.

Flock is the latest game from Richard Hogg and Hollow Ponds, the indie team behind Wilmot's Warehouse and I Am Dead. It's a cozy exploration game where players ride through the skies on the back of a bird and categorize different animals. Digital Trends has an exclusive release date trailer for the game, which gives a glimpse of what players will do in the world.

Read more
What’s new in June 2024: 7 upcoming games to keep an eye on
A furnace golem looms in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Every June, video game announcements typically take precedence over new releases. That said, there’s still plenty to look forward to this month, especially when it comes to new releases that build upon already existing games. Both Elden Ring and Destiny 2 are getting expansions, while Shin Megami Tensei V, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, and Monster Hunter Stories are all getting a new leases on life.

While some surprise launches at this month’s showcases will surely beef up June’s game release calendar, I’ve highlighted some of the games that you should be keeping on your radar when you’re able to divert your attention away from all the new reveals. You can also check out Digital Trends' lists of upcoming games for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
Star Wars Hunters (June 4)

Read more
You know cyberpunk. Now let Nine Sols introduce you to ‘Taopunk’
Nines Sols main character, Yi

A studio known for creating horror games pivoting to a new genre isn’t unheard of. After all, Tango Gameworks shifted from creating games such as The Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo to the goofy and colorful Hi-Fi Rush. The Taiwan-based studio Red Candle Games followed a similar trajectory on the way to its newest game, Nine Sols.

Red Candle Games was founded in 2015 and debuted with the side-scrolling horror game Detention in 2017. In 2019, the studio released Devotion, a psychological horror game that received quite a bit of attention after it was banned from digital PC storefronts like GOG and Steam for containing an easter egg referencing Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

Read more