Nintendo hosted on of its Nintendo Direct streaming events today, just ahead of E3, and it had big news to share for one of its most popular and beloved game franchises: Pokémon is coming to Nintendo Switch, with its first appearance courtesy of Pokkén Tournament DX, the Pokémon fighting game.
The news came via a dedicated Pokémon Direct edition of Nintendo’s direct show, which gives you an idea of how important the company thinks the news will be for the console and for gamers. It’s definitely something I saw crop up frequently among fan and enthusiast reaction when the Switch was originally announced, and Nintendo’s confirmation that Pokémon would appear in some form on the platform only stoked the flames of fandom.
Switch launched with a relatively light game lineup, though the flagship Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild garnered rave critical reviews and player plaudits. The addition of another solid offering, in addition to the recently released Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the forthcoming Super Mario Odyssey, should give Switch all the first-party hype juice it needs to continue to drive strong console sales.
Pokkén Tournament offers a range of play options based on Switch’s unique multiplayer option, including local, tabletop and team battles and online play. It’s going to be available on Sept. 22, 2017, and there will be a playable version at E3 this year.