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Pokemon Sword and Shield Isle of Armor release date revealed

The first DLC expansion for Sword and Shield arrives this month, bringing new locations, missions, and Pokemon.

Donovan Erskine

June 2, 2020 7:45 AM

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Back in November, Game Freak marked a new era of the Pokemon franchise with the release of Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield on the Nintendo Switch. Not only was this the first entry in the eighth generation of the series, but it was the first mainline game on a home console. In many ways, Sword and Shield stick to the tried and true formula that fans have become more than familiar with. However, there are changes made in these titles that greatly depart from previous games. One of the largest examples of this, is the integration of two paid expansions. Originally revealed back in January, we now know that Isle of Armor, the first expansion pass, will release on June 17.

Originally reported by Serebii, a slew of new Isle of Armor details came during a Japanese news broadcast. The trailer runs for three and a half minutes and showcases all of the new additions players can expect in the expansion. We get a glimpse at the new Galarian forms for Slowbro, Blastoise, and Venusaur, as well as special gigantimax forms for the latter two.

We know that Isle of Armor’s story will revolve around a new legendary Pokemon, named Kubfu. In the trailer, we get a look at the new fighting type legendary in action, as well as its evolution Urshifu. Sword and Shield were heavily criticized for their failure to include a large share of Pokemon from previous games, and the DLC looks to mend that wound. We’re shown a highlight reel of old Pokemon that will be making their debut in generation 8 with the new expansions. These new Pokemon will be obtainable for all owners of Sword and Shield, and does not require them to purchase the DLC.

Isle of Armor is only the first half of what is planned to be a two-part DLC arc. The second expansion, Crown Tundra, is set to release in the fall. In the trailer, we get a look at what players can expect from the expansion, including new forms for the legendary Regis, and new snowy environments.

The decision to release paid DLC instead of a third, all-inclusive game is a new order of operations for the Pokemon franchise. The Pokemon Sword and Shield expansion pass includes both the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra and is available now in the eShop for $29.99 USD. The Isle of Armor DLC will launch on June 17.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_