IT'S the news Pokemon fans have been waiting for since E3 last year - details on the games that will bring the franchise to Nintendo Switch for the first time, and two of them are coming out this year.
Game Freak is developing two full Pokemon RPG games for Nintendo's new console and today released a spin-off game called Pokemon Quest.
Pokemon Quest is described as a "rambunctious" free-to-play action RPG for Switch and for smartphones and is out today for Switch and coming in June for Android and iOS.
November 16 will see Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Pokemon Let's Go Eevee - which are full Pokemon RPG games - released for Switch. There is also an as-yet-untitled third full title coming next year which will be a direct follow-up to the previous handheld RPGs Pokemon Sun & Moon.
Pokemon Quest sees players attracting cube-like pixelart Pokemon to their encampment on Tumblecube, then sending them out in squads of three to do battle with wild Pokemon, without the obvious involvement of a trainer.
While it will be free to download and play, players can buy Expedition packs on the Nintendo shop which well allow them to attract more Pokemon, get more loot, and give players special Pokemon directly.
Today's announcements really did have something for everyone.
Pokémon Quest is an interesting diversion from the main series, and it's always good to get a new toy to play with right away.
Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Pokémon Let's Go Eevee, however, aren't that far away and look like a great attempt to bring a huge number of players who got their first proper taste of Pokémon with Pokémon Go into the main franchise.
The innovations with the new Pokéball Plus, interactions between the two games, and the addition of local co-op play mean that even established Pokémon fans have something to look forward to.
Announcing a third as-yet-untitled game also ensures that the 'hardcore' Pokémon fan isn't left out either.
They may be irked at having to wait until next year for a true follow-up to Sun and Moon, but knowing it is very much in development and on the way should reassure those who thought that they'd be left behind entirely as the company chased new players.
2019 will see a more traditional Pokemon game coming to Switch - Pokemon Let's Go! Pikachu and Pokemon Let's Go! Eevee. These two are "inspired by" the original Pokemon Yellow/Red games and will initially feature the first generation of Pokemon.
It features gameplay inspired by Pokemon Go, although with a physical Pokeball controller.
The Let's Go games provide a "more casual, lighter experience" than previous Pokemon RPGs to bridge the gap between Pokemon Go and full games.
They also integrate with Pokemon Go, with the ability to transfer items and Pokemon between the two.
The two titles are based on the original Pokemon Yellow/Red, but with gameplay inspired by the mass appeal achieved by Pokemon Go, which has been downloaded by millions more than have played any other game in the firm's history.
Pokemon Let's Go! Pikachu and Eevee will primarily feature the original first-generation 151 Pokemon, but also with Alolan variants of the original Kanto Pokemon. The games will also feature at least one "all new" Pokemon that has never been seen before in any form.
The game's developer GameFreak has confirmed to The Sun that it has no current plans to expand on this number for the Pokemon Let's Go titles with future updates, unlike Pokemon Go.
Game Freak's managing director and director of the Let's Go games Junichi Masuda also confirmed that the Let's Go games could see sequels in their own right and be the start of a new parallel main series depending on sales.
Wild Pokemon battles have been removed from the game and replaced with Pokemon Go inspired catching mechanics, but traditional battles will remain when battling other trainers to progress in the story.
In both games, Pikachu and Eevee will be your "partners" who will travel with you on your quest. They will have deep customisation options, with both Pikachu and Eevee being shown off in a variety of different outfits, from traditional clothing to sports uniforms.
The game will feature local two-player co-op using a single Switch - controlling the game only requires one of the Switch's two controllers per player, or one of the new Pokeball Plus controllers.
The Pokeball Plus controller looks like an in-game pokeball, and features motion control and a central button.
The Pokeball Plus will also be compatible with Pokemon Go for mobiles, and offer benefits if carried around with you with a Pokemon transferred from either game into it.
Any Pokemon caught in Pokemon Go can be sent to Pokemon Let's Go games -- either yours or someone else's.
One way this might work, according to Masuda, would be a parent playing Pokemon Go while out and about, then bringing a Pokemon they've caught in the wild home to then add to their child's game.
There are also other ways the games will integrate, which will be announced later on.
A third Pokemon RPG was also confirmed for the second half of 2019. This game will follow in the mould of previous Pokemon RPG titles, and so will bring a new generation of Pokemon, in the way that all main series games other than the Let's Go! games have done.
The Pokemon Company recently reported a 50 per cent drop in profits for the past year but the £61 million made in the twelve months up to February 2018 still made it the company's second-most profitable year ever. As reports, this profit is roughly equal to all of the profits the company had ever reported before last year.
The launch of Pokemon Sun & Moon, and the phenomenal initial revenue from Pokemon Go, saw the company report a £109million profit in the year ending February 2019, and the firm will hope that these announcements will return it to a similar level next time around.
