February 2022

During the February 27, 2022 Pokemon Presents, The Pokemon Company COO Takato Utsunomiya appeared to discuss updates for mobile games. First up was a Pokemon GO Alola reveal, which teased characters like Litten, Rowlet and Popplio. The new Pokemon will appear starting in-game on March 1, 2022.

Only a brief teaser appeared during the presentation. It didn’t show any Alolan Pokemon. However, it did tease the region’s starters. Things began with a charred piece of grass. This was a reference to Litten, the Alola region’s fire-type starter. After that, one of Rowlet’s feather arrows appeared. Multiple bubbles showed up too, as a reference to Popplio’s typical method of attack.

You can see that teaser at the one minute mark in the Pokemon Presents.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/xoiwcdqMlCA
 
Ahead of the new characters’ debut, an existing Alola Pokemon will show up more often in Pokemon GO. Players can expect to see Alolan Exeggutor frequently for an unspecified period of time.

Prior to this reveal, Niantic added its first Hisuian forms to Pokemon GO. Hisuian Voltorb showed up first. Soon after, players got the ability to evolve it into Hisuian Electrode.

Pokemon GO is available for Android and Apple iOS devices, and characters from Alola will begin showing up on March 1, 2022.

The Pokemon Company President and CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara announced a Pokemon Legends: Arceus Daybreak 1.10 patch during the February 2022 Pokemon Presents update. It will launch on February 27, 2022. It will bring multiple new features to the game. A new online animated series inspired will also appear “in the second half of 2022.”

A brief trailer offered an overview of some of the additions. Mass outbreaks of additional characters will show up. Among the characters revealed were Hisuian Electrode, Hisuian Zoroark and Empoleon. There will also be more opportunities to interact with NPCs. They showed up in the photo studio for pictures. There will also be more opportunities to fight them at the Training Grounds.

You can take a closer look at the Pokemon Legends: Arceus Daybreak patch trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0CwKsd9eE0
 
There will be a Pokemon Day 2022 gift to get in Pokemon Legends: Arceus too. People who enter the Mystery Gift password “ARCEUSADVENTURE” will get 30 Gigaton Balls, 30 Jet Balls, and 30 Ultra Balls. These can be claimed until March 31, 2022.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available on the Nintendo Switch, and the Daybreak patch will update the game on February 27, 2022. Previous patches adjusted bugs and addressed more minor issues with the game, but didn't add new content.

Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, the newest entries in the long-running RPG franchise, will launch in late 2022. During the February 27, 2022 Pokemon Presents stream, The Pokemon Company revealed the new games, including images of starters and looks at a lot of environments.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, developed by Game Freak, are set in a new region. The reveal trailer, which started with a security guard investigating a break-in at the Game Freak offices, showed off a number of returning Pokemon as well as illustrations of the three new starter choices.

The new Scarlet and Violet starters are a grass cat, a fire crocodile and a water duck. Returning Pokemon confirmed during the trailer include fan favorites like Meowth, Pikachu, and Lucario, among many others. The Pokemon Company describes the new entry as "an open-world adventure," following Sword and Shield's experiments with Wild Areas and Pokemon Legends Arceus' continued work on the idea.

You can check out the full announcement trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAmueMsFR1o
 
The end of the trailer also showed a URL for the game's official site, which provides more information on the game and the three starters.

The Pokemon Company held a Pokemon Presents broadcast today, and the final announcement was a big one: the next generation of the series is arriving later this year, and the games will be called Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet.

We saw a brief teaser trailer of what to expect. It started off with a live-action portion featuring a police officer investigating an old, dusty room inside a building. Then we got a glimpse of some never seen before areas of a Pokemon region, featuring Pokemon we already know in brand new towns and locations.

The most exciting part of this trailer is that we got to see a glimpse of the three new starter Pokemon of the region: a grass-type cat, a fire-type crocodile, and a water-type duck. Here is what they look like:

Platform: Switch
Publisher: The Pokémon Company
Developer: Ilca, Game Freak
Release: November 19, 2021
Rating: Everyone

If you were looking to add the mythical Pokémon Shaymin to your party or your Pokédex in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, today’s your lucky day. 

That’s because Shaymin will soon be available to catch in the remakes later today as a Mystery Gift event. Announced during today’s Pokémon Day stream, which also saw the reveal of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet alongside the Daybreak Update for Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Shaymin hits the game via something called Oak’s Letter. 

Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Game Freak
Release: January 28, 2022
Rating: Everyone

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is getting a new update, Version 1.1.0, otherwise known as Daybreak, later today. 

Announced today during the Pokémon Day stream, which ended with the reveal of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, Daybreak will add a new investigation to Game Freak’s latest pocket monster RPG. You’ll be tasked with beginning an investigation into a new phenomenon that is causing a mass outbreak of what appear to be Alpha Pokémon.

Platform: Switch
Publisher: The Pokémon Company
Developer: Game Freak

The next mainline Pokémon games have been revealed as Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, and they’ll be released on the Switch in “late 2022.” 

This news comes by way of today’s Pokémon Day stream. Pokémon Red and Blue were released in Japan on February 27, 1996 and these days, The Pokémon Company celebrates the yearly anniversary with a stream about all of its games, including updates and more for them. This year’s included plenty of that, but it ended with the big reveal that Generation 9 is coming this year. 

Click here to watch embedded media

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl players can soon catch Shaymin. During the February 2022 Pokemon Presents, details about a new Mystery Gift came up. Starting on February 27, 2022, people can claim one Oak's Letter. Once they get it, they can use it to meet and catch Shaymin. However, the item can only be claimed until March 27, 2022.

The presentation showed how the event will go in-game. In the original Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, heading to Route 224 with one would trigger a meeting with Professor Oak. The player then gets to access a new, flowery area. That is where Shaymin shows up. It is then possible to battle and catch the grass-type Pokemon in its Land Forme. As is common with event Pokemon, you only get one chance to encounter and catch Shaymin.

If you fast forward to the seven minute mark, you can see how Shaymin looks in-game.

The announcement didn't offer any details about Shaymin's Sky Forme. That debuted in Pokemon Platinum. People who visited Floaroma with the character in their party could get a Gracidea. Using it changes the Pokemon to a grass and flying type.

After the reveal trailer for Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet during the February 27, 2022 Pokemon Presents video, the game's official site provided more details on the three starter choices, including names and types.

Sprigatito, the Scarlet and Violet grass starter, is a cat. It's described as "capricious" and "attention-seeking," and will have the ability Overgrow. Fuecoco, the fire-type starter, is a crocodile. It's "laid-back" and has the Blaze ability. Quaxly, a duckling, is the water starter for the new games. It's "earnest" and "tidy," and it'll sport the Torrent ability.

You can take a closer look at the three starters in the gallery below.

[gallery ids="918175,918176,918177" link="file"]

The official site also showed looks at the playable character. Your clothing will vary between Scarlet and Violet, with colors matching the two games' hues. Both versions will have you sporting a tie and shorts, the latter of which we understand to be comfy and easy to wear.

[gallery ids="918182,918181" link="file"]

The site also includes screenshots of environments shown in the reveal trailer.

Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher developer, CD Projekt Red, has revealed it is donating money to a Polish humanitarian organisation that is working directly with Ukrainian citizens affected and displaced by Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

"The recent invasion on Ukraine, our friends and neighbours, left us shocked and outraged," the company said by way of a statement shared via social media.

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Surprise! A free content update is out now for Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

"Get ready for massive mass outbreaks and even more fun in the Hisui region!" teases the video description on YouTube, before confirming that Daybreak Ver. 1.1.0 is available right now at no extra cost.

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UPDATE 5.29pm 27/02: In a blog post that followed the announcement of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, we now know the name of our starter Pokémon: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.

Grass type Sprigatito is described as a "capricious, attention-seeking Grass Cat Pokémon", whilst Fire type Fuecoco is "the laid-back Fire Croc Pokémon that does things at its own pace.

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It’s exactly 26 years since the first Pokémon games released in Japan and the developers of the series lived up to the hype of this year’s international Pokémon Day by offering up a ton of updates on current games and one major surprise reveal: new mainline entries Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are coming to Nintendo…

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Hoopa and Duraludon are heading to Pokemon Unite as playable Pokemon. Hoopa is immediately available to play as part of the game's ongoing Pokemon Day 2022 event. On the other hand, Duraludon will arrive at a later date. The Pokemon Day event will run until March 14, 2022.

The two new Pokemon appeared during the Pokemon Presents live stream. In addition to new trainer cosmetics, players will be able to play as Hoopa for free using the Limited license during the Pokemon Day event period. If trainers complete all of the special missions, they can also earn Hoopa's Unite license which will unlock the character entirely.

One of Hoopa's key abilities will allow players to warp their teammates across the map. Furthermore, Hoopa's Unite move will transform it into Hoopa Unbound, giving players additional moves such as a laser beam. The live stream also featured a short clip of Duraludon's abilities. While details are scarce, it looks as though Duraludon will have a wide AOE attack that will briefly charge up before dealing damage. The previous Pokemon to join the roster was Aegislash earlier this month.

You can check out the Pokemon Unite Hoopa and Duraludon showcase in the video below (starts around the 5:50 mark):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoiwcdqMlCA
 
Pokemon Unite is immediately available to play on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. Hoopa is immediately available to play for free until March 14, 2022. There is no confirmed release date for Duraludon.

Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Game Freak
Release: January 28, 2022
Rating: Everyone

It’s February 27, which means The Pokémon Company had a stream to celebrate the series and all of the games within it. This year was nothing short of a great stream, bringing news of updates for many of the franchise’s titles including Pokémon Go, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and even the reveal of Generation 9. 

If you missed today’s stream and are looking for a recap of everything revealed, we’ve got you covered. 

Today’s 14-minute Pokemon Presents broadcast contained a wide variety of announcements for updates that will be making their way to several games as well as a brand new surprise at the end. Here’s everything that was announced today.

The first piece of news is about Pokemon GO. It was revealed that Generation 7 Pokemon will be coming to the game starting on March 1. On this day, you’ll be about to encounter various species from the Alola region. Until then, Alolan Exeggutor will be spawning in great quantities.

Next up, an event will be taking place in Pokemon Cafe ReMix. Pelipper will come around to deliver gifts, and Victini will appear for the first time. There will be three special events to look forward to: Bulbasaur’s Happy Pokemon Day, increased chance of encountering shiny Piplup, and 11x express delivery at no cost. Tons of new species are planned to arrive soon.

A special Pokemon Day event is happening now in Pokemon Unite. Hoopa will be arriving in the game as a new playable fighter. It can warp allies to other locations and even turn into Hoopa Unbound. For a limited time, anyone can play as Hoopa with a temporary license to try it out before buying it. Special trainer fashion items to celebrate Pokemon Day are also available for free.

A new event is coming to Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl that will allow players to encounter the legendary Shaymin. Available until March 27, you can receive Oak’s Letter to travel to a special location in order to encounter and catch Shaymin.

An update to version 1.1.0 is available for Pokemon Legends: Arceus that adds the “Daybreak update.” This will add a segment in the game in which you can investigate a problem that is causing mass outbreaks. You can use the mystery gift password ARCEUSADVENTURE to obtain extra Pokeballs for this mission.

Valve believes it will have a fix for Elden Ring's "heavy stutter during background streaming" on Steam Deck next week.

Although there's no firm release date pinned down just yet, players keen to try sooner rather than later can try the Proton release now "on the bleeding-edge branch of Experimental", according to Valve coder, Pierre-Loup Griffais.

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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Gen 9 starters have been revealed and they include a cat, a baby croc, and a duck. Do you have a favorite? I certainly do and it’s not my usual type.

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Today 2K Games and Visual Concepts released a new trailer about the upcoming wrestling game WWE 2K22.

This time around, the trailer showcases the content of the Deluxe Edition focusing on the Undertaker Immortal Pack, which includes 3 additional Undertaker personas, MyFACTION EVO cards for Undertaker, on top of MyFACTION Perks and Bonuses.

You can check the video out below.

WWE 2K22 will release on March 11, 2022, for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

If you want to learn more, you can check out the previous trailer, another alongside release details, the first extended look at gameplay, and read an official description below.

REDESIGNED GAMEPLAY ENGINE. NEW CONTROLS. ALL THE FEATURES YOU CAN HANDLE.
Get ripped out of the stands and hit with complete control of the WWE Universe.

The developers at Sabotage Studio love to release small clips of their upcoming game Sea of Stars in the weekends, and today we get a new one.

This time around, the video showcases the shopping interface, which is pretty much a staple of most classic RPG. It certainly feels nostalgic.

You can check it out below.

When you hear a game is a civilization builder, it might make you think there will be a lot of thought on your part. You know, like you’ll have to make tough decisions. Strategy could be involved. Threats could lurk around every corner. It’s what I thought The Hundred Year Kingdom would be when I started it on the Nintendo Switch. Instead, it’s a more relaxed game with no real challenges, consequences, or critical thinking.

The goal of each The Hundred Year Kingdom run is to create a civilization that stands the test of time. You get a 6x6 tile space as your “world” and 100 in-game years. The first time you play, your only Oracle option is Amaterasu and the World of Vegetation. As you play, you’ll level up the goddesses and earn additional goddesses and worlds. (There are 5 Oracles and 11 worlds total.) Each world is a preset, predetermined place. However, as you go along their increased levels can make earning the three materials for growth easier. Those are culture, food, and production. Each goddess influences certain growth.

I have never, since Destiny launched back in 2014, been able to categorically recommend it to anyone. Praise always came with caveats. The cool parts were always buried beneath an incomprehensible grind. With The Witch Queen I can finally say, without reservation, that Destiny 2 has a great shooter campaign that is…

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It’s pretty much doubtless that Ezio Auditore from the Assassin’s Creed series is one of the most beloved characters in gaming, and he’ll soon be immortalized in physical form via a Nendoroid figure by Good Smile Company.

The Nendo can be pre-ordered right now at Good Smile Company’s Japanese and American shops priced at ¥6,900 or $60.99 depending on where you buy him.

The release window is October 2022 in Japan and December in America.

He’s sculpted by toytec D.T.C and comes with the usual 100 mm height common for Nendoroids.

Below you can take a look at a gallery of pictures and read an official description.

The Zatch Bell manga will return with a new sequel series starting in mid-March 2022. Creator Makoto Raiku teased the series' return via his official Twitter with the official title Konjiki no Gash!! II. The manga series will debut on various online manga reading websites. Furthermore, Raiku stated that he will announce an official release date once confirmed. [Thanks, Oricon!]

Zatch Bell first appeared on Weekly Shonen Sunday back in 2001. The manga was serialized from 2001 to 2008 and followed the adventures of middle school student Kiyo Takamine and his mamono partner Zatch Bell (Gash Bell in Japan).

The series later received an anime adaptation in 2003, as well as an English translation from Viz Media in 2005. The anime series ran until 2007, and also appeared on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block. Additionally, the series has spawned two spin-off films as well as various video games and a collectible card game.

https://twitter.com/raikumakoto/status/1497553067453329412

The Zatch Bell series celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021. Marking the series' anniversary, Raiku released a special illustrated book that is free to read on online manga reading websites in Japan. The illustrated book includes a one-shot manga that originally released back in 2011, as well as over 100 pages featuring Q&A segments, two-page artwork, and bonus tankobon content. Raiku also released a physical version of the anniversary illustrated book.

Project Zomboid has acquired quite a lot of popularity as of late, and the developers at The Indie Stones have just released a new patch.

The update, numbered 41.66, brings significant tweaks to multiplayer, an overhaul for the foraging system, and much more, including a large slew of fixes.

You can read the full patch notes here.

Perhaps even more interesting is a Twitter thread written by developer Chris Simpson, which provides an intriguing outline of how NPCs will work when they’ll finally be implemented.

Ashes of Creation developer Intrepid Studio hosted a livestream showcasing plenty of interesting elements of the upcoming MMORPG.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect showcased is the look of the Py’Rai elven-ish race, which will be playable. We get to see both concept art and models and we hear that their antlers are their characterizing element. It’ll even be possible to have flowers and buds growing on them and reacting dynamically to the climate.

We also hear more details about the animal husbandry profession, which appears to be extremely deep and detailed.

More highlights include a showcase of character tech and more assets created for the game.

You can check the video out below.

Ashes of Creation is a very promising fantasy MMORPG coming to Windows PC. If you want to hear more, you can check out our hands-on preview from last year.

Valve boss Gabe Newell has commented on the possibility of bringing Microsoft's Game Pass service to Steam, saying there is a chance. Speaking to PC Gamer, Newell said Valve is unlikely to create a similar service of its own--"Steam Pass," for example--but working with Microsoft to add Game Pass to Steam might be something Valve would consider.

"I don't think it's something that we think we need to do ourselves, building a subscription service at this time," Newell said. "But for their customers it's clearly a popular option, and we'd be more than happy to work with them to get that on Steam."

Valve has a history of supporting subscription programs on Steam, with EA's own EA Play offering arriving on Steam back in 2020.

Game Pass is Microsoft's subscription-based offering that gets subscribers access to a growing catalog of games for one price. There is Game Pass for PC titles and Xbox Game Pass for console games. Subscribers can get access to both through Game Pass Ultimate.

With March rapidly approaching, we'd expect Microsoft to officially announce the new additions to the catalog very soon, so keep checking back for more.

And in other Valve/Steam news, the company just launched the Steam Deck--for more, check out GameSpot's Steam Deck review.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl players can get a free mythical Pokemon as part of the Pokemon Day celebrations. As announced on the Pokemon Presents stream, you claim a Mystery Gift to get a free Shaymin.

To claim your Shaymin, just start up Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl and choose "Get Via Internet" from the Mystery Gift menu. That will grant you an item called Oak's Letter, which will let you go speak to Professor Oak on Route 224. Assist Professor Oak and the mythical Pokemon Shaymin will appear. Once you've added it to your team, you can use a Gracidea item to change it into its Sky Forme.

This is one of a few free updates announced during the Pokemon Presents, which also included a free update for Pokemon Legends Arceus, an upcoming Alola update to Pokemon Go, and more.

The big reveal of the presentation, though, was the announcement of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the new Gen 9 games. Those take place in a new so-far unnamed region, with an open structure that does not have barriers between towns and wilderness. The announcement claims you'll be able to see Pokemon roaming and flying around everywhere, including in towns. We also got a first glimpse at the three starters.

The Pokemon Company has announced the next generation of Pokemon games: Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, and both are coming to Nintendo Switch later this year. This will be the ninth generation (or "Gen 9") of the game series.

The games were revealed via a teaser trailer at the end of the Pokemon Day Pokemon Presents livestream, giving glimpses into the world players will be hunting Pokemon in, as well as a quick peek at the three apparent starters from this new unnamed region: Sprigatito (grass cat), Fuecoco (fire croc), and Quaxly (water duckling).

The trailer started with a live-action segment, showing a security guard getting spooked by a strange glowing light. It then transitioned to in-game footage of the new region, with lots of overhead shots of the world and wild Pokemon roaming about. The region looks like it has a variety of environments, from grassy plains to villages with palm trees. The official announcement notes this new region has various towns without borders that blend into the wilderness, so you may not have hard cuts between town transitions. It also says you'll be able to see Pokemon roaming around anywhere, including inside of towns. Fans have speculated that this region may be inspired by Spain.

Pokemon Go is preparing for a summer vacation, as The Pokemon Company has announced Pokemon Go Alola, an in-game event that will add the seventh generation of Pokemon to the game.

The brief teaser trailer showed a beach setting with small references to the three starter Pokemon from the Alola region: the Grass-type Rowlet, the Fire-type Litten, and the Water-type Popplio.

The new addition follows Pokemon Go Tour: Johto, which took place February 26 and focused on Pokemon from the second generation Gold and Silver era.

The update to Pokemon Go preceded the big announcement of the presentation, the new generation of Pokemon coming this year. Pokemon Violent and Scarlet are due for Nintendo Switch in late 2022, and the brief teaser trailer showed off some of the new Pokemon along with the environments we can expect to see. Notably the environmental shots showed palm trees, suggesting that at least parts of the region may be more tropical like Alola.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus only released last month, but it's already gotten its first big content update to coincide with Pokemon Day. The version 1.1.0 "Daybreak" update is available now, introducing a new quest to investigate a phenomenon causing mass outbreaks. It also adds new battles against more powerful opponents, like legendary Pokemon and Wardens, at the training grounds.

As part of the announcement, the Pokemon Company also announced a free gift of Poke Balls. You can claim 30 each of Ultra Balls, Gigaton Balls, and Jet Balls by inputting the password "ArceusAdventure" in the Mystery Gift menu. The free Poke Balls will be available through March 31.

The presentation also mentioned that a new Pokemon animated series is set to take place in the Hisui region, the historical era in which Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place. The presentation shared a piece of artwork for that series, which is set to launch this year.

Who doesn’t love free Poke Balls? Game Freak has been on a roll as of late with its last two...

The post Use this code to get 90 free Poke Balls in Pokemon Legends: Arceus appeared first on Destructoid.

Plus a recap of the February 2022 Pokemon Presents Today’s Pokémon Presents video in celebration of Pokémon Day didn’t really...

The post Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet revealed for a worldwide release in late 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

We’re ready to die for this duck

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Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are full of weekly recaps and memes

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Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet launching later in 2022

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It’s set to be released later this year

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