Earlier this month, Nintendo launched a new app for Switch and mobile devices called Pokemon HOME. Meant to be a companion to modern games in the Pokemon series - namely Pokemon Sword, Shield, Let's Go Pikachu, Let's Go Eevee, and Pokemon GO - Pokemon HOME offers a lot of functionality, whether that's transferring Pokemon between games or storing large collections long-term.
As promised, today Nintendo debuted a new Direct that was all about Animal Crossing: New Horizons. With the game's release now just a month out, this Direct offered a deep dive into deserted island living, and after watching it, we can safely say that this is indeed an Animal Crossing game. The Direct dished a ton of details, so let's dive in and see what's new.
Last month, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai surprised us all by confirming that the game will be getting a second batch of DLC fighters. Originally, the game was only supposed to get one batch - a Fighters Pass comprised of five DLC characters. When that Fighters Pass was completed with the release of Byleth, Sakurai confirmed that a further six DLC characters are in development, comprising a second Fighters Pass.
If you're looking forward to the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons next month, then you'll definitely want to tune into the next Nintendo Direct. Nintendo has announced a new Direct livestream that's entirely devoted to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. We'll see the Direct premiere tomorrow, but as always, Nintendo is tight-lipped about what will be discussed during the presentation.
The Witcher 3 on Switch is receiving a pretty big update today, as CD Projekt Red has announced that it now features cross-saves with the PC version of the game. That's exciting news, but unfortunately for CD Projekt Red, the surprise was ruined a bit by the fact that numerous players were able to download this update before the patch notes went live. In any case, if you own The Witcher 3 on both Switch and PC, you can now share the same save between those two platforms.
Last year, Nintendo launched the Switch Lite, which is a smaller, handheld-only version of the popular console. That has proven to be a good move as the Switch Lite seems to be selling pretty well, so it comes as little surprise to see Nintendo announcing a new variant today. Beginning in March, the Switch Lite will come in a coral pink color, with the new model launching in Japan side-by-side with Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
The current coronavirus outbreak, COVID-19, has already impacted the world of technology in more ways than one. Not only have we heard reports of Uber suspending rider accounts out of fears of spreading coronavirus, but Mobile World Congress 2020 - one of the biggest trade shows of the year - has been cancelled due to the outbreak. Now we're learning that the outbreak could have a negative impact on Nintendo Switch stock as well.
Stardew Valley has become one of the most popular indie games of the generation, so naturally, people are wondering what's next for the game's creator, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone. As it turns out, in addition to continuing work on Stardew Valley, Barone has been working on two other games, one of which is set in the Stardew Valley universe. While that's certainly an exciting thing to hear, Barone is asking fans not to get too hyped for these new projects just yet.
Today the folks at the Pokemon Company released Pokemon Home for real. This system allows users to store and transfer and trade Pokemon across multiple platforms, from game to game. Users can find the app available for iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch now. There's a free version of the service as well asa PREMIUM tier - that'll cost you some money.
After a fair amount of waiting, Pokemon HOME has now officially launched. Pokemon HOME is more or less Pokemon Bank for a new generation, as its primary function is to store vast collections of Pokemon in the cloud. Those Pokemon can then be moved to the two mainline Switch Pokemon games - Pokemon Sword and Shield - assuming that the Pokemon you're attempting to move is in that game's national Pokedex.
It has become almost a common practice for console makers to turn back time slightly and give players access to games from the past. In Nintendo's case, it goes back way into the past, back to the glory days of the company. Of course, some might argue that one could always relive that time with an emulator and some questionably acquired ROMs. Few of those, however, would be able to add some modern gaming conveniences, like playing a decades-old multiplayer game with someone far, far away.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the Switch's biggest games of the year, so it didn't really come as much of a shock to see Nintendo reveal a limited edition Switch console for the game. The console hasn't released yet - and won't for another month - but today Nintendo is giving us a closer look at it by way of a new unboxing video.