Another official Pokemon product has been released, and it's currently available in South Korea. Fans of Pikachu can pick up this Sleeping Pikachu Mood Light, which is meant to add a bit of ambient lighting to a room. No word on this item seeing release in other regions at this time.

Pokemon Co. has announced a Pikachu Adventure merchandise line for Pokemon Centers in Japan. The merch comes from a collab with Inujirushikaban, a company that's been around since 1953 and is known for making bags and more. This new line of merch is set to launch on July 23rd, 2020, and includes the following.

Dai Cut Cookie PIKACHU ADVENTURE　1,080 yen
Plush PIKACHU ADVENTURE　1,980 yen（★）
Mascot PIKACHU ADVENTURE　1,210 yen（★）
Inujirushikaban Foldable Backpack PIKACHU ADVENTURE　25,300 yen（★）
Inujirushikaban ２Way Combo Tote Bag PIKACHU ADVENTURE　15,400 yen（★）
Stone Wash Sailcloth Shoulder Pouch PIKACHU ADVENTURE　9,130 yen（★）
Inujirushikaban Pouch PIKACHU ADVENTURE　5,390 yen（★）
T-shirt PIKACHU ADVENTURE　（S／M／L）　3,300 yen（★）
T-shirt PIKACHU ADVENTURE　（120／130／140）　2,860 yen（★）
One Point T-shirt PIKACHU ADVENTURE（120／130／140）　2,860 yen（★）
Sticker PIKACHU ADVENTURE PIKACHU & MEW　330 yen
Sticker PIKACHU ADVENTURE PIKACHU & LUGIA　330 yen
Sticker PIKACHU ADVENTURE PIKACHU & RAYQUAZA　330 yen
Sticker PIKACHU ADVENTURE PIKACHU & DARKRAI　330 yen
Sticker PIKACHU ADVENTURE PIKACHU & ZERAORA　330 yen
Sticker PIKACHU ADVENTURE PIKACHU & DAKUMA　330 yen
Hand Towel PIKACHU ADVENTURE　550 yen（★）
Gadget Pouch PIKACHU ADVENTURE　3,080 yen（★）
Drawstring Purse with Grip PIKACHU ADVENTURE　1,430 yen（★）
Big Rubber Keychain PIKACHU ADVENTURE　880 yen（★）
Acrylic Carabiner Collection PIKACHU ADVENTURE　550 yen
※6 types to choose from. Random type, cannot be chosen.
Thermos Stainless Bottle PIKACHU ADVENTURE　4,620 yen（★）

★ items available through Amazon Japan as well

On July 23rd, 2020, Pokemon Center locations in Japan are getting a new bit of merch. The company has announced that Pokemon Shupatto compact bags are on the way, and there are two different options. The Compact Bag M PIKACHUUUU! version is priced at 2,728 yen, while the Compact Bag L Pikachu pattern is 3,278 yen.

The Pokemon Smile app has gotten an update. The app is now running Ver. 1.0.4, and according to the patch notes, this update includes bug fixes. No other details on the patch were shared, so this seems like a minor update.

[Events] The Poison-Type Training Event is now live. Also, the sync grid for 4 ★ Koga & Crobat has been expanded (available until July 24th)

[Missions] While the Poison-Type Training Event is running, a set of Special Missions is available for you to tackle (available until July 24th)

[Scout] The following sync pairs are now available via Spotlight Scout: 5 ★Plumeria & Salazzle and 4 ★ Lucy & Seviper (available until July 24th)

[Log-in Bonus] Once you’re done with the first set of Daily Log-in Bonuses, a second set becomes available. It includes various goodies, with up to 15 rewards in total (no end date)

[Pokémon] The second special customer is Sobble, and it’s now available (available until July 29th)

Get your Pokémon ready for battle before July 10, Trainers—the second Pokémon GO Fest weekly challenge will test your battle skills!

Date + Time

Friday, July 10, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. to Wednesday, July 15, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time

GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Battle

Complete all three sets of tasks in the GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Battle Timed Research to earn an encounter with Hitmonlee, an encounter with Absol, a Super Rocket Radar, and more!

If the following numbers of Trainers from the same team complete their Timed Research this week, the corresponding Pokémon will appear during Pokémon GO Fest 2020.

One million Team Instinct Trainers: Ferroseed
One million Team Mystic Trainers: Alolan Grimer
One million Team Valor Trainers: Alolan Marowak

If you complete the GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Battle Timed Research, you’ll earn access to the GO Fest Elite Battle Challenge, a set of difficult tasks that you can complete for personal bragging rights! You don’t need to complete these tasks for your Timed Research to count toward the Pokémon GO Fest 2020 unlock goals.

Battle-themed event

Have your Pokémon ready for battle, Trainers! On Sunday, July 12, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time, there will be a battle-themed event! Hopefully it won’t take over too much of your time.

The history of Pokemon is chock-full of amazing, interesting, and surprising details. That said, I don't think we've ever heard a detail as crazy as this.

In a recent episode of Did You Know Gaming, we hear a completely off-the-wall story from Pokemon Co. CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara. According to Ishihara, the North American release of Pokemon Red and Blue almost had a very different looking Pikachu. You can read the full comments from Ishihara below.

The snippet in the video doesn't specifically mention who was behind the design change requests, but it's hard to imagine it being anyone other than Nintendo themselves. It's just nuts to think that Nintendo of America thought that such a major change had to be made to Pikachu. Good thing Game Freak decided against the request!

An exceedingly rare Pokémon Super Secret Battle “No. 1 Trainer” Trainer Promo Hologram Trading Card, one of seven known to exist, sold for a record-breaking $90,000 on Thursday, July 9, at a public auction of comic and comic art held by Heritage Auctions. Collectors consider the Trainer Promo card possibly the most sought-after card, and arguably one of the rarest cards in the entire Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Equated to one of Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets, the holographic “Trainer Card” allowed the owner preferential entrance to a secret game tournament, hence the card’s name Super Secret Battle. The finals took place Aug. 22, 1999 in Tokyo. The 1999 card is graded a “Gem Mint 10” – meaning the rarity is in the finest condition of any such card offered at auction.

Owners only found out the location of the private game after winning one of these cards in one of seven regional tournaments. “This particular card was given to one of the seven first-place winners, meaning there are only seven of these cards in the world,” said Barry Sandoval, Vice President of Comics at Heritage Auctions.

The artwork is by Hideki Kazama, a Japanese artist whose work has appeared on three trainer cards over the years. The card, with text in Japanese, is translated as such:

The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournament's champion is recognized here, and this honor is praised. By presenting this card, you may gain preferential entry into the Secret Super Battle.

The Pokémon Super Secret Battle “No. 1 Trainer” card was one of several lots of high-end, rare playing cards and sealed card packs offered at Heritage Auctions on Thursday. An additional highlight included a Pokémon First Edition Neo Genesis Set Sealed Booster Box (Wizards of the Coast, 2000), which sold for $15,600.

The auction of rare comic books and original comic art continues through Sunday on HA.com

A mysterious duo has arrived in Pokémon GO via a...Meowth balloon? The two call themselves Jessie and James, and it looks like they’re up to no good! Help us defeat them!

As Team GO Rocket’s balloons prowl the skies, we’ve been investigating them further. The Grunts piloting the balloons are just as perplexed as we are as to where these characters came from. From what we understand, Team GO Rocket has assigned Shadow Pokémon to protect Jessie and James as they seek to create more Shadow Pokémon.

This is where you all come in! Check the map to see whether Jessie and James’s Meowth balloon is flying by. When the Meowth balloon appears, tap it to battle Jessie and James.

Plus, avatar items inspired by Jessie and James are now available in the shop!

It looks like Jessie and James won’t be here for long, so let’s GO teach these silly villains who’s boss before they leave.