Pokémon Sword and Shield have been revealed as the next mainline titles in the Pokémon series, due to release on Nintendo Switch in late 2019. The games are set in a new region called Galar, which it’s fair to say takes a good deal of inspiration from the UK.
Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Galar region appears to be based on a post-industrial UK. Along with snow-capped mountains we see a mixture of woodland and lake-filled nature, broken up by large, old-fashioned cities.
Pokémon Sword and Shield Galar Region Map
The reveal during the Pokémon Direct only gave us a brief glimpse of the map of Galar, but since then a high quality image has been released, so check it out below.
Galar apears to be a narrow island, evolving from grass and woodlands in the south, to lakes and rivers in the middle, then a quarry and eventually mountains in the far north. Notably, the isle has numerous railways running across it, which means transport to and from either end shouldn’t be too tricky. If it’s anything like that actual British transport system however, you can expect all trains to arrive late or be cancelled without warning, all while paying a premium for the honor!
A few points stand out in particular, most notably the London-styled town in the center of the isle, complete with a Big Ben clock tower at its heart. The quarry-like northern city, and sprawling metropolis of the north also draw the eye, with the latter clearly a late game area for Pokémon Sword and Shield. We imagine the games will play out in the usual fashion, starting in an idyllic small town from which you venture out alone to discover the larger world and all the Pokémon contained within it.
Look closely and you’ll also spot several gyms scattered around in areas with particular environmental themes, giving an indication of the types of Pokémon we can expect to face there. Also, is that the London Eye in the northernmost city? There’s a lot to take in with this first look at the Galar region for Pokémon Sword and Shield, and we’re sure people will be picking this map apart for weeks to come.
Pokémon Sword and Shield are due to release in late 2019 exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
