Pokemon Sword & Shield Each Have Version-Exclusive Gyms

The Pokemon Company has dropped a new trailer for Pokemon Sword and Shield this week, giving fans a look at some more new features and Pokemon from the upcoming Switch RPGs. Much like previous Pokemon games, Sword and Shield will each feature a handful of exclusive Pokemon that can only be found in that version, but that won't be the only difference between the two titles; this time around, each will also have some version-exclusive Gyms.

As we learned in the new trailer (which you can watch below), some cities in Pokemon Sword and Shield will feature different Gyms depending on which version you're playing. It's unclear how many version-exclusive Gyms there will be in total, but the latest trailer showcases at least one of them. In Pokemon Sword, players will challenge Bea, who specializes in Fighting Pokemon. The same town in Pokemon Shield, however, is home to a Ghost-type Gym led by the creepy Allister. You can take a look at the two Gym Leaders below.

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This isn't the first time Pokemon games have featured version-exclusive Gym Leaders; the Leader of the final Gym in Pokemon Black and White would differ depending on which version you were playing, although in both cases, the trainer would still specialize in Dragon Pokemon. Some cities in Black and White also featured aesthetic differences depending on the version, although it's as-yet unknown if Sword and Shield will implement other version differences.

Of course, along with version-exclusive Gyms, there will be a handful of Pokemon you'll only be able to catch in either Sword or Shield, and now we've gotten our first glimpse at a couple that will be exclusive to each version. The Dragon Pokemon Deino and Jangmo-o will only appear in the wild in Pokemon Sword, while Larvitar and Goomy can only be found in Pokemon Shield.

That isn't all the latest trailer revealed; we also got a look at another four new Gen 8 Pokemon, as well as a new mechanic called Gigantamaxing. Unlike standard Dynamaxing, only certain Pokemon can Gigantamax, and their size as well as their appearance will be transformed. The trailer also introduced the chairman of the Galar Pokemon League, Rose, and his secretary Oleana.

Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Nintendo Switch on November 15. The games will be compatible with the upcoming Pokemon Home service, allowing you to bring over some of your old monsters. However, you won't be able to transfer every old Pokemon to the games. That decision has been so controversial that series producer, Junichi Masuda, issued a statement addressing the drama. For more on the titles, be sure to check out our Pokemon Sword and Shield release date and pre-order guide.