Pokemon Masters Release Date Window Revealed--And It's Soon

Pokemon Sword and Shield might be launching for Nintendo Switch in November, but there'll be another new Pokemon game coming before then. Pokemon Masters, which was announced just ahead of E3, is a new title coming to iOS and Android, and we now know it will launch in "Summer 2019." You can watch a new trailer below.

The Pokemon Company shared more details about the upcoming game in a recent livestream, which you can re-watch below; it's just over eight minutes long. The game appears to be a battle-focused, story-driven title in which your Pokemon are pitted against famous trainers from previous games in the series. It will be "free-to-start with purchasable items," though which items will be purchasable was not elaborated on.

The game takes place in a new region, an island named Pasio. You'll embark on an adventure in a similar vein to those seen in mainline games, traveling the region to collect gym badges. However, rather than controlling one trainer, you'll take charge of three, each with their own Pokemon partner. You'll control these "sync pairs," as they're called, in three-on-three battles against AI opponents throughout the story.

Contrary to the turn-based mainline games, Masters' three-on-three battle system works in real-time using a move gauge that fills up over the course of the battle and is depleted when you fight. In another Pokemon first, trainers also have moves in Masters: "Trainers provide support in battle by using moves that heal Pokemon or raise their stats," said the game's producer, Yu Sasaki.

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Masters is being developed DeNA, which previously made Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Miitomo. The Pokemon Company will publish the title, which will come to the App Store and Google Play this summer.