Pokémon Sword and Shield Direct coming before E3

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield
Image Credit: Nintendo (Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

If you thought you were going to have to wait until E3 2019 for some new details on Pokémon Sword and Shield you were (probably quite happily) mistaken. 

Yes, despite the fact that one of the world’s biggest gaming conventions is only two weeks away and Nintendo itself will be broadcasting a Direct from there, the gaming giant and The Pokémon Company have announced that there will be a dedicated Sword and Shield Direct taking place on June 5. 

The Direct will broadcast on Nintendo’s YouTube and Twitch channels at 2pm BST/ 6am PT/ 9am ET and run for around 15 minutes, during the course of which fans will get to see brand new information about the Switch games that are due to launch later this year. 

That's not all, folks

That’s not the only Pokémon news that will be announced this week. The Pokémon Company has also confirmed that it will host a press conference on May 28 at 6pm PT, 9pm ET or 2am on May 29 BST. The conference itself is taking place in Tokyo but it will be live-streamed and available to watch on the company’s YouTube and Twitch channels. 

This conference will stand separate to the Sword and Shield Direct, so it’s likely to feature a wider range of Pokémon news. What exactly will be mentioned isn’t known just yet but the company has said there will be “a number of topics of interest to Pokémon fans”.

That’s a lot of news to reveal this close to E3 but it’s a bonus for Pokémon fans looking for a closer look at the new Galar region and bodes well for a jam-packed press conference from Nintendo on June 11. 

Emma Boyle

Emma Boyle is TechRadar’s ex-Gaming Editor, and is now a content developer and freelance journalist. She has written for magazines and websites including T3, Stuff and The Independent. Emma currently works as a Content Developer in Edinburgh.

Latest in Consoles & PC
The artwork for The Last of Us Limited Edition DualSense controller
When and where to pre-order The Last of Us Limited Edition DualSense: all the information and best links to bookmark
Playing games on the Razer Handheld Dock Chroma without an external display.
The Razer Handheld Dock Chroma offers Steam Deck owners a premium design and, of course, plenty of RGB
Image of GTA 6 protagonists and PS5
GTA 6's console-only launch reminds me of how much I despise console exclusivity - is it worth waiting years for PC ports?
The Hori Split Pad Pro attached to a Nintendo Switch OLED and placed on a colorful desk mat.
I've used the Hori Split Pad Pro with my Nintendo Switch for years and it's still great, but there are some better options in 2025
A tattoo studio in The Sims 4.
The Sims 4 Businesses & Hobbies expansion pack looks like the small business overhaul I've always wanted
Image of Grand Theft Auto 6 promotional art and Corsair's PC cases
GTA 6 could reach PCs in early 2026 according to Corsair – but I'm already sick of waiting
Latest in News
Q Acoustics Q SUB80, QSUB100 and QSUB120 subwoofers
Q Acoustics wants to bring the bass to your post-Oscars movie catch-up
Hospital
Major Oracle outage hits US Federal health record systems
Samsung Galaxy A56 display
Samsung’s new budget handsets are getting One UI 7 before the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and I’m as confused as you are
iPad Pro 13-inch 2024 on a table
The OLED iPad Pro is reportedly less popular than expected – and that could mean these changes to Apple's OLED iPad plans
Sam Porter cradles a baby
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach trailer confirms June release date and an even more harrowing post-apocalyptic world
The Ray-Ban Meta Coperni smart glasses
The new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses design is an expensive disappointment