POKEMON SHIELD and POKEMON SWORD Said to Be Focusing on the Switch's Handheld Mode

News on Pokémon Shield and Pokémon Sword has been surprisingly quiet since their reveal in February. Fans are waiting for just about any drop of news and we have just a small tidbit. Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, recently highlighted a big difference between the next generation of Pokémon games and the more recent Pokémon: Let’s Go games during the March 2019 Financial Results Briefing. Essentially, it boils down to how Nintendo expects you to play the game.

“These new titles, first announced in a Pokémon Direct in February, have generated a huge response from consumers. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, which were released in November of last year, are designed to highlight the fun of Nintendo Switch in TV mode, for example by waving the controller at the TV screen to capture Pokémon.

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are being developed to emphasize the fun of playing Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. We want these games to be played not only by longtime Pokémon fans, but also by consumers whose first encounter with the series was on a dedicated video game platform with Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!.”

That’s right, Sword and Shield are apparently being designed more for the Switch’s handheld mode which does indicate it is more likely to be closer to older games and not rely so much on motion controls.

I know this isn’t a big deal for many, but I’m glad to know that there most likely won’t be a big motion control component.

Via: Nintendo Life