Game Freak's Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori talk inspiration, Sirfetch'd, and pressure from Pokémon fans

There have been a few ups and downs for Game Freak, in the build up to Pokémon Sword and Shield's launch. The initial reveal of Galar, the game's UK-inspired setting, was perhaps a tad lukewarm, and the decision to move away from a full, eight or nine hundred-strong Pokédex brought outcry from the predictably noisy sections of Pokémon fans.

But then, new Pokémon like Wooloo have charmed, and twists on old favourites, like the brilliant Sirfetch'd and Galarian my-little-Ponyta, have gone down a storm.

Having now played the enchanting first hours of Sword and Shield, too, the game's typical charm has once again started to shine through.

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