PokéNews (May 9): Pokémon Sun and Moon / Pokémon Shuffle / Pokémon Duel

Today’s Pokémon news: new Global Mission announced for Pokémon Sun and Moon

• Pokémon Sun and Moon – Rating Battle Season 4
• Pokémon Shuffle
• Pokémon Duel
• Wicked Cool Toys
• Pokémon North American International Championships
• Pokémon Regional Championships
• Eevee and Colourful Friends
• Lapras Surf Collection

Pokémon Sun and Moon – Global Mission

The latest Global Mission for Pokémon Sun and Moon, “Harvest Poké Beans” ended today, and it was once again a success. Players were asked to collect at least 3 000 000 Poké Beans (6 000 000 for the secondary goal), and they ended up collecting… 75 230 246!

Here’s the rewards that participating players can now claim:

• Success (initial goal): 2 000 Festival Coins (regular players) / 4 000 Festival Coins (PGL members) [available in-game, from the Festival Plaza in Pokémon Sun and Moon]
• Success (secondary goal): Level Ball (PGL members) [Serial Code to be distributed via the Pokémon Global Link later this month]
• Success (personal goal): 5 Rare Candies (PGL members) [Serial Code to be distributed via the Pokémon Global Link later this month]

The next Global Mission for Pokémon Sun and Moon will task players with fishing as many Pokémon as possible, and will start on May 30th.

Source: Serebii

Pokémon Sun and Moon – Rating Battle Season 4

Today, the Rating Battle Season 4 for Pokémon Sun and Moon was announced: it will take place from May 16th to July 18th. Here’s everything you need to know about it:

• Battle type: Single Battle
• Pokémon sent to battle: you choose 1 Pokémon out of your 6
• Level: Level 50 (lowered to Level 50 if above)
• Pokémon Restrictions: only National Pokédex Pokémon allowed, with the exception of Mewtwo, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta, Genesect, Xerneas, Yveltal, Zygarde, Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma, Magearna, and Ash-Greninja;
• Item Restrictions: all items allowed, with the exception of Mega Stones, Focus Sash, Z-Crystals, and the Eviolite. Also, you cannot have two Pokémon hold the same hold item.

For more details about the rules, make sure to check out the Pokémon Global Link!

Source: Pokémon Global Link

Pokémon Shuffle

Today, some new content for Pokémon Shuffle went live:

• a special stage featuring Cosmoem is now available until May 23rd, and can only be played once a day;
• a special stage featuring Lunala is now available until May 23rd;
• a special stage featuring Alolan Sandslash is now available until May 23rd;
• a special stage featuring Popplio is now available until May 23rd;
• a new set of Daily Pokémon featuring Oricorio P’au Style (Monday), Alolan Grimer (Tuesday), Dewpider (Wednesday), Alolan Sandshrew (Thursday), and Brionne (Friday) is now available until May 23rd;
• a new Pokémon Safari featuring Alolan Rattata, Alolan Raticate, Alolan Diglett, Alolan Dugtrio, and Rockruff is now available until May 23rd.

Also, a new Competitive Stage featuring Decidueye is now live until May 16th. Here’s the rewards you can get depending on your overall rank:

• Top 100 players in Europe, Top 100 players in North America, Top 500 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 5 Mega Speedup, and 10 Raise Max Level;
• Top 300 players in Europe, Top 400 players in North America, Top 1 500 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 4 Mega Speedup, and 8 Raise Max Level;
• Top 500 players in Europe, Top 800 players in North America, Top 3 000 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 3 Mega Speedup, and 6 Raise Max Level;
• Top 900 players in Europe, Top 1 300 players in North America, Top 5 000 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 2 Mega Speedup, and 4 Raise Max Level;
• Top 1 800 players in Europe, Top 2 500 players in North America, Top 10 000 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 2 Mega Speedup, and 2 Raise Max Level;
• Top 3 600 players in Europe, Top 5 100 players in North America, Top 20 000 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 1 Mega Speedup, and 1 Raise Max Level;
• Top 5 400 players in Europe, Top 8 000 players in North America, Top 30 000 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 1 Mega Speedup, and 1 Skill Booster M;
• Top 7 200 players in Europe, Top 10 000 players in North America, Top 40 000 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 1 Mega Speedup, and 1 Disruption Delay;
• Top 9 000 players in Europe, Top 13 000 players in North America, Top 50 000 players in Japan = 1 Skill Swapper, 1 Mega Speedup, and 1 Attack Power;
• Top 13 000 players in Europe, Top 18 000 players in North America, Top 70 000 players in Japan = 1 Disruption Delay, and 1 Attack Power;
• Not ranked: 1 Attack Power.

Pokémon Duel

Today, a new update for Pokémon Duel was announced, and will go live tomorrow (on May 10th). As usual, it will bring various changes/adjustements to some of the figures in-game:

Aggron

• Figure alteration: Counter changed to Heavy Slam
• Figure alteration: Metal Claw changed to Roar
• Iron Tail: damage increased from 90 to 120

Armaldo

• Figure alteration: Battle Armor changed to Swift Swim (gives Movement +1 when adjacent to Water-type Pokémon)
• Figure alteration: Aqua Jet move added
• Iron Tail: power increased from 40 to 70

Skarmory

• Figure alteration: size of the Miss segment decreased;
• Figure alteration: Air Cutter piece replaced by Swords Dance (smaller)

Geodude, Graveler, Golem, Rhyhorn, Magnemite

• Figure alteration: size of the Steel Wing piece increased
• Size of Miss segment decreased

Source: Serebii

Wicked Cool Toys

Yesterday, The Pokémon Company sent a press release to announce that Wicked Cool Toys was appointed as “master toy licensee” for Pokémon, starting in July 2018. In other words, the company will have the rights to manufacture and market the following worldwide (except in Asia): action figures, play sets, plush, roleplay items, and other toys, based on the Pokémon anime series.

What’s more, the company also announced it has become a “strategic investor” in Wicked Cool Toys, and that it will even have a set on the company’s board of directors.

The Pokémon Company explains that this new partnership will “allow for enhanced collaboration in the development of Pokémon toys with the growing toy company”. The investment is compared to the strategic partnership approach the company engaged in with Niantic (the developers of Pokémon GO), which was extremely successful.

As for TOMY, they will continue to be a “key licencing partner” for the Pokémon brand, producing select items and products inspired by the Pokémon video games.

The first Pokémon toys from Wicked Cool Toys are expected to be released in Fall 2018

Source: The Pokémon Company PR

Pokémon North American International Championships

The Pokémon North American International Championships will take place from June 30 to June 2nd, and players interested in attending can now register via The Pokémon Company’s official website. There are a few things to note, however:

• Registration for the Masters Division costs $60
• Registration for the Juniors and Seniors Divisions costs $45
• Registration for spectators cost $15 for people over 16 (but includes 3 Pokémon TCG booster packs)
• Registration for spectators cost $10 for people under 16 (but includes 2 Pokémon TCG booster packs)
• Entry for spectators is free for kids under 5 (without any registration required)

Click here for more details about the event (that will be livestreamed, as usual), including more details on registration.

Pokémon Regional Championships

Yesterday, it was announced that the Pokémon Regional Championships in Birmingham (United Kingdom) and Madison (United States), taking place on June 3rd and June 4th would be livestream.

Madison

• TCG commentators: Kyle Sucevich, Josue Rojano, Kenny Wisdom, Kyle Sabelhaus, and Jeremy Jallen
• VGC commentators: Aaron Zheng, Duy Ha, Gabby Snyder, and Adam Dorricott

Birmingham

• TCG commentators: Julian Scharf, Ross Gilbert, Joe Bernard, and Jamie Serhan
• VGC commentators: Jay Blake, Markus Stadter, Sebi Ernst, and Lee Provost

Source: Serebii

Eevee and Colourful Friends

Here’s a really cute promotional video for the Eevee and Colourful Friends collection in Japan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSC3VOV1kQw

Lapras Surf Collection

Interested in some Lapras-themed merchandise? If yes, time to head over to the Pokémon Center Online website, where plushies, clothes, and other bits of merchandise are now available!

Here’s what’s on offer: