Nintendo has been really killing it in 2019 in the best way. And in the leadup to E3 2019, the Big N has a huge stable of games that fans and gamers are extremely excited for. Of all the major entries in established franchises like Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Luigi’s Mansion 3 and more, there’s one game that nearly everyone is ready to lose their minds over. That franchise is Pokémon Sword and Shield, and it’s now been all but confirmed that the Switch title will let players customize their trainers in-game.
Trainer customization is something Pokémon fans have wanted for years. Due to limitations of the earlier platforms, options to change the look of in-game sprites were very limited. And in previous outings in the iconic RPG franchise have just begun to tap into this feature and offering it to gamers. Pokémon Sun & Moon offered a variety of outfits for both male and female avatars, and it looks like those options are being expanded in the newest games.
The main confirmation of this reveal comes from a combination of sources, with one being fan site Serebii.net. Japanese casual wear designer, manufacturer, and retailer Uniqlo also recently held a fan design contest to create clothing. This contest turned out to be a way for the winners to get their designs into the new Switch game.
Serebii Update: The winning T-Shirt in the recent Uniqlo competition is to be added to Pokémon Sword & Shield as custom clothing. In addition to this, it has confirmed that Trainer Customisation is in the game. Details @ https://t.co/gDbXkHSvkT pic.twitter.com/kclOQHXAyn
— Serebii.net (@SerebiiNet) May 20, 2019
Li Wen Pei’s design, dubbed “Ocean King,” won the contest with their design featuring three Magikarp. The “Ocean King” T-shirt can be purchased (with real money) through Uniqlo as a real shirt if that’s your thing. In-game though, you can grab this design for in-game currency once Pokémon Sword and Shield releases.
Pokémon Sword and Shield are both currently in development, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. Expect to see more of this and more of Nintendo’s projects at their Nintendo Direct in June. The game is set to release later this year.
