With Pokémon’s Sword & Shield Direct now released, it’s time to dissect the trailers for information ahead of the game’s November 15th release date. And in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of the protagonist with their new rival, Hop, it looks like Galar gets a major tech upgrade with a Pokémon powered device shaped like a smartphone.
Now eagle-eyed Pokémon fans will have already noticed Nintendo’s new push towards Pokémon themed/controlled smartphones with the announcement of mobile game Pokémon Masters. The protagonists for that title carry a device modeled after Porygon2.
The devices for Sword & Shield are modeled after Rotom once again and known as the Rotom Phone, according to the Pokémon website. Whether this one will be just as chatty as Sun and Moon’s version remains to be seen. They also take on some of the same functions as Ride Pokémon did in Sun & Moon, including speeding up your bike or making it amphibious. Curiously enough, your rival has a different color Rotom Phone, but the Rotom isn’t a shiny Pokémon.
Does your rival’s phone being a different color indicate another level of customization available in Sword & Shield? Or is it simply a way to differentiate between the player character & your rival? And if the Pokédex is now a phone again, does this signal the return of Gold, Silver & Crystal’s phone number feature? No word on whether Young Trainer Joey will call you to talk about his Rattata. Incessantly.
Whatever happens between now and November, I know I’m holding out for the Pokémon Company to make an official Rotom or Porygon2 phone case. In the meantime, J-List has plenty of ways for you to dress up your phone, like giving it its very own bathrobe, or giving it the best seat in the house with J-List’s new Mobile Girl Mobile Stand.
