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Pokémon Red & Pokémon Blue: Game Boy Jukebox Back in Stock at Pokémon Center
Don’t miss your chance to take a nostalgic musical trip through the Kanto region.
Pokemon TCG's Delta Reign Expansion Is Finally Up For Preorder On Amazon and Target — And One Box Is Already Under Market Price
Pokémon TCG Delta Reign preorders are now live at Amazon and Target, including Booster Bundles below market price, Elite Trainer Boxes, and 36-pack Display Boxes.
No More Missed Zygarde Cells! 5 Big Quality of Life Changes Are Coming to Pokémon GO
Scopely has announced a series of gameplay and quality-of-life updates that will be coming to Pokémon GO! They shared that they are intending to ‘make your adventures as fun, intuitive, and accessible as possible’, so let’s see what will be changing. Zygarde Cells discovered on a Route will now be received as a reward when […]
Pokémon fossil exhibition coming to Denver science museum
An exhibition blending fossil specimens and Pokémon will come to Denver in 2027.
Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire Switch Port Rumours Resurface Following Pokémon HOME's Latest Update
Two GBA games were made compatible this week
Amazon Just Restocked the Rare Pokémon TCG Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box for Under Market Price in the Prime Day Sale — Here Is Why Collectors Are Grabbing It Fast
Amazon has restocked the rare Pokémon TCG Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box for under market price in the Prime Day sales. But, stock is extremely limited.
Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version Now Link with Pokémon HOME
Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version for the Nintendo Switch can now link with Pokémon HOME.
Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit coming to Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit coming to Denver Museum of Nature and Science
In 2026, the exhibit of life-sized fossil Pokémon models made its North American debut in Chicago, and it will make a stop in Denver next year.
Pokémon fossil exhibit coming to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in May 2027
DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) announced a new exhibit featuring Pokémon opening in May 2027. The new exhibit,
Pikachu spent 67 days in space
To celebrate World Space Week, the ESA and Pokémon are joining forces.
Pokémon GO Halloween 2026: Part One
Pokémon GO’s Halloween 2026 Part One event runs from October 27 at 10:00 a.m. to November 1 at 10:00 a.m. local time, bringing three new costume Pokémon: Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet, Zubat wearing a top hat, and Sinistea wearing a bow! Expect spooky wild encounters, costume raids, and trick-or-treat surprises that can reward […]
Pokémon TCG’s Final 2026 Set Is Causing Major Preorder Chaos, Here Is How You Can Buy Delta Reign at MSRP Right Now
Find out where to preorder Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution—Delta Reign at MSRP in the US and UK before Elite Trainer Boxes and Booster Displays sell out.
Join the Pokémon Night Out Livestream to Party from Home
Check out the full merch collection and find out how you can join the party from home.
Minior Showers in Pokémon GO: Dates, Cores & Bonuses
Minior debuts in Pokémon GO on October 19! Explore Minior Showers dates, core colours, hemisphere exclusives, bonuses and its form-changing mechanic.
The best popular-science books of October 2026
With a new book from the late primatologist Frans de Waal and a deep dive into artificial intelligence from New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose, there is some hard-hitting popular science to look forward to this month – with added Pokémon, says Liz Else
September Monthly Review: Health MCP Guy?
For all the time I spend talking about APIs and data exchange, this newsletter has had embarrassingly little interoperability of its own. It’s old-school SaaS, baby - UI or bust. Not all of that is my fault! Substack, for all its popularity, is (as mentioned before) really frustrating as my system of record. The primary user it optimizes towards is the reader, whose attention feeds the app, the Notes feed, and the recommendation network that Substack is actually selling. Health API Guy is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe They’re falling into the same trap that Medium once sprinted into, albeit at a much more glacial speed. Younger generations may not remember (or never knew) it, but Medium once lured publications like The Ringer and Signal v. Noise onto its platform, only to lose them as it rebuilt itself around a paywall and an algorithmic feed. Substack’s original pitch circa 2020 was the antidote (you own your list), but every new feed feature chips away at it. I get it: writers are generic supply in the eyes of the Substack product team. Generic supply follows demand, so the consistent pressure on the PMs is to generate demand, which leads to every product cycle going toward discovery (Notes, recommendations, the app, live video). The end result lackluster author tools (laggy and broken analytics are truly crippling) all despite the premium price point. The archive is where it crosses from authorial gripes to actual reader impact, though. Across Substack and LinkedIn, I’ve published 1,218 posts and nearly 900,000 words since 2018. Substack’s native search can see only the 464 posts that live on Substack, and even there it’s woefully inadequate at surfacing relevant content (even for the guy who wrote it)! Readers have the same problem, writ large. Ask the Archive Fixing search (for both my readers and my own use) turned out to be extremely non-trivial, unfortunately: There’s no public API for readers to access content RSS exists for new content notification, but it only carries the 20 most recent posts and cuts paid ones off at the preview The only Substack MCP is an admin tool for analytics The export exists for authors, but it’s painfully awkward and slow. So I built something to work around that: the Health API Guy MCP. It’s a private MCP server holding the full text of everything I’ve written across Substack and LinkedIn. Add it to Claude or ChatGPT as a connector and you can ask things like: It pairs keyword search (for acronyms and case names, of which we have many) with semantic search. Every post is also labeled by topic, form, and court case, so you can pull a lawsuit’s (or multiple cases’) entire docket across Substack and LinkedIn in one query: Hail, Healthapiguyhydra This is also a bit of me eating my own cooking. I’ve spent the year arguing that headless healthcare is arriving and that developers want primitives over abstractions. Last week in Hail, Benihydra, I watched Salesforce plug its platform into Claude and bet that the records underneath outlive whatever interface sits on top: Salesforce must believe that the Hydra’s immortal head is the records, permissions, and business logic (in that they will survive whatever happens to the interface). It felt a bit hypocritical to keep my own archive behind a Substack search bar. The archive is the body. Substack is one head, and now whatever tool you might use is another. Will the EHRs follow my lead? Probably not imminently, but one can hope! Why Founding Members Only The MCP is available to Founding Member subscribers. A few reasons: It costs money and time to run. Hosting, the database, Clerk usage and AI compute for search and labeling are significant operational costs (that increase with usage). Substack gives me no way to automate access. There’s no API to check whether someone is a paid subscriber, so every user is manual operations for now. It’s a beta. We’ll need to improve things and parts will break. I’d rather they break for a small group of dedicated readers who will tell me about it. The Founding tier deserved a real benefit. Until now it was mostly a generous tip. Now it comes with something. If you’re already a Founding Member, reply to this email with the address you’d like provisioned. If you’re not and want in, upgrade here. Larger teams (such as companies) can get access too: group subscriptions at the Founding tier come with the group discount. The admin for the subscription can reply with the list of addresses to provision. Get 20% off a group subscription Pricing Founding membership is now a flat $200 a year, replacing the old suggested $150 that readers could adjust. Existing Founding Members will have access grandfathered in at their previous rate. Month in Review Articles Published Make Networks Dumb Again (Sep 11): AI is making old analog networks cheaper to use and flooding them with machine traffic in the process. A plea for agent-native rails with the intelligence at the endpoints, and for Washington to drag them to ubiquity. Interoperability, Unbuttoned (Sep 29): Interoperability is a series of workflows in a trenchcoat, and this post finally takes the trenchcoat off. A color-coded map shows which provider workflows went digital, which are fragmented, and which still run on fax. Video Content Antitrust’s System of Record Problem (Sep 3): The FTC’s investigation into Epic prompted a ninety-minute webinar, now posted with chapters and a smoothed transcript. We get into why market definition, missing B2B share data, and the SSNIP test leave antitrust poorly suited to systems of record, plus why information blocking may be doing more than any pending lawsuit. The Information Exchange: Cerner Milking Edition (Sep 18): This was so fucking fun. Ryan Tucker, Ryan Brickner, Brad Thorson, and I try an Around the Horn format, complete with points, penalties, and a mute button. We debate whether Oracle Health is dead, who would actually buy Cerner (IBM enters the chat), p(Doom), and why the front desk still hands you a clipboard. Regulatory Ask Not What Your Network Can Do (Sep 23): CDC’s RFI on public health data intermediaries lists use cases already served, unevenly, by eCR, lab reporting, IZ Gateway, and syndromic surveillance. The real opportunity sits in one question about AI: a network that can handle the next emergency without another interface project. Court cases Particle v. Epic: The Naughty Schoolteacher (Sep 4): After a summer-long vigil, the answer on Epic’s early summary judgment bid is two paragraphs and a remedial assignment. Particle advances to the next grade, and market definition gets another year of discovery. The Epic Discovery Files (Sep 8): Texas’s motions to compel arrive with a 251-page appendix of requests, objections, and meet-and-confer letters with Cravath. Inside: Epic using generative AI for document review, denied interoperability requests in scope, and Noerr-Pennington raised against lobbying discovery. Epic v. Health Gorilla: “Working as Designed” (Sep 9): Epic wants nothing to do with the data breach MDL, and explaining why puts fresh discovery on the public docket. The spiciest allegation: Health Gorilla told GuardDog to scrub its law firm business from its website instead of cutting off access. Veeva v. Epic: Legal Bypass Surgery (Sep 15): Veeva asks the Wisconsin Supreme Court to skip the Court of Appeals, while law professors and three policy groups line up as amici. Meanwhile, Epic’s lawyers apologize for another round of citation errors, including a quote that never existed. Texas v. Epic: Behind the Black Bars (Sep 17): The court portal served up Epic’s unredacted filings, revealing a $5 million document review budget and the AI workflow behind it. Also inside: the 200-plus company names Texas wants searched, and one very expensive Zoom invitation. OpenEvidence v. Doximity: Consequences Will Follow (Sep 25): OpenEvidence tells the court it will not comply with a discovery order, and its own lawyers at Quinn Emanuel say they won’t defend the choice. Add years of Slack reported unrecoverable, and Rule 37 sanctions come into view. Health Tech Keeps Choosing Violence (Sep 28): Doximity moves to end OpenEvidence’s case, Epic asks Texas to show its work, and a sleepy Audacious Inquiry patent fight sprouts antitrust and information blocking counterclaims. The main event is a long-sealed Cognizant v. Infosys ruling that hints where system of record antitrust claims can survive. EHRs One Verb for Oracle Health (Sep 14): Oracle’s earnings call quantifies every data center to the decimal point, while Oracle Health gets a single verb: “accelerate.” Panning the few healthcare mentions turns up an agentic care management system, a research-to-care ledger play, and the question of whether healthcare gets Larry’s patience. Epic’s Forretress Under Siege (Sep 30): Judy Faulkner tells a panel Epic paused hundreds of projects to harden its software and calls it a “shame,” while a spokesperson insists the roadmap hasn’t changed. Project Glasswing, a Pokémon-branded QAN sprint, and a trove of Jodel grievances reconcile the two Epics and preview the Jevons paradox coming for all software. Industry Analysis Scanning for a Network (Sep 1): Scan.com raises $220M to build the imaging network labs never got, speedrunning Zocdoc’s consumer-to-B2B pivot. Its wedge to network density may be the most American one available: personal injury litigation. The Front Desk Wants the Damn Whole Building (Sep 16): Hello Patient buys Converse Health, pushing its AI front desk into referrals, chart work, and prior auth. The copilot categories keep blurring, and your distribution partner is still your final boss. Cross-industry Comparisons A Different Patchwork Quilt (Sep 10): Healthcare loves to envy open banking, but the US version has no mandate, a toll booth at Chase, and data quality problems of its own. The grass isn’t greener; it’s another American patchwork quilt, and perhaps a worse one. Hail, Benihydra (Sep 21): Salesforce brings its platform into Claude, Slack, and its own agent, inviting the interfaces that might replace it. Cut off one head and more grow back, so long as the records underneath stay put. Living on A Trade Secret Prayer (Sep 22): Six credit unions are suing Fiserv, the Epic of core banking, by claiming their own member records as trade secrets. Banking has no Cures Act, so its lawyers reach for legal alchemy that healthcare has already tried. Other News None this month External Media Nabla Accelerate NYC: I kicked off fall conference season at Nabla’s Accelerate event in New York, where Delphine Groll opened by asking the room to picture the company it wants to become and the one it doesn’t. I liked her framework of bureaucracy, fear, and ego as the blockers. I also love vendor conferences/events in general - different vibe than industry biggies. Healthcare 101 with Nikhil Krishnan: I briefly guest lectured Out-Of-Pocket’s Healthcare 101 class. Appreciated Nikhil’s takeaways cover whether AI doctors can query HIEs, why healthcare’s data-liberation rules beat most industries’, and the hi-res graphic is in the comments. HCN: Epic Probed by the FTC: I joined the HCN guys to talk through the FTC’s investigation into Epic. Cedric’s new hairdo was an unexpected plot twist. The episode also covers MFN drug pricing, healthcare M&A and Eli Lilly’s acquisition streak. Fall Conferences: At eHealth Exchange’s Annual Meeting in Austin on Oct 27, I’ll moderate a panel on the tensions between AI, HIEs, and timely patient access with Jean Ross (Primary Record), Therasa Bell (Kno2), Byron Crowe (Doctronic), and Michael Marchant (Freenome). Here’s the rest of my schedule if you want to meet up: CommonWell (Redwood Shores, CA): Oct 13-14 Will be participating in a fun Jeopardy event Open@Epic (Madison, WI): Oct 20-23 Will be enjoying Verona, Willy Street, and other local adventures eHealth Exchange and Sequoia Project (Austin, TX): Oct 27-29 Yeehaw HLTH (Vegas): Nov 15-18 Groundhog Day, Venetian Edition RSNA (Chicago): Nov 30-Dec 2 See me at “Governing AI in Breast Imaging: What Health Systems Are Actually Doing” Digital Health Counsel 2026 AI Summit (Seattle): December 2-3 Will likely be speaking to a bunch of lawyers about information blocking Posts I Liked ChatGPT’s Epic integration: game changer or nothing burger?: Joshua Liu, MD offers five thoughts on OpenAI’s Epic launch, starting from the point that it rides the same open APIs available to anyone. He argues read-only access leaves ordering to Art and the ambient startups, and asks why HCA is piloting it alongside Commure. He’s sorta a must-follow at this point - consistently excellent, thought-provoking takes. Epic, Lilly, and the Discovery pass: Seth Chaney reads Epic’s first major Discovery deal (with Eli Lilly), as well as its revised developer terms on commercial displays, as the pipe finally opening between EHRs and pharma. Life sciences and health continue to collide. Scott Rossignol on EHR payer platforms and ePA fees: Scott argues the top ambulatory EHR vendors are turning the prior auth mandate into a per-member-per-year toll on payers, for an API whose operating cost has nothing to do with covered lives. His fix is two lines of regulatory text: put the CRD/DTR/PAS certification criteria in the Base EHR definition, and bring payer-facing ePA connectivity under § 170.404’s cost-based fee rules. It’s a good solution. Health API Guy is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Pokémon Space Trail and Merchandise Land at the Science Museum
, , , , • Created in partnership with the European Space Agency and The Pokémon Company International, the free-to-visit Pokémon Space Trail invites curious visitors of all ages to explore the Science Museum in London and discover more about space science in a fun, accessible way., , , , , • Visitors can seek out Pokémon across the museum, take part in special Pokémon GO activity and browse Pokémon merchandise inspired by the partnership with ESA in the Science Museum shop. , , • The Pokémon Spa...
Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Mega Dimension Bundle Coming Soon
The Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Mega Dimension bundle is coming soon.
Pokémon Pokopia Gets Spooky With A Limited-Time Halloween In-Game Event
Pumpkaboo, I see you
Trading cards: A hobby-turned business
“‘I shouldn’t be walking into a Target, [going] to the Pokémon section and [worrying] I’m about to get tackled by somebody because I just wanted to get a pack of cards. I feel like it drives people away from the community.’”
New 'Pokémon Winds and Waves' Leaks Fill Major Gap Left by Game Freak's Silence
Including gameplay, maps, and Elite Four character models
Pokémon Space Trail and Pokémon Merchandise Land at the Science Museum in World Space Week
Pokémon fans can join a new space-inspired adventure at the Science Museum from Friday 2 October, when an out-of-this-world trail takes over the museum’s galleries as Trainers around the world cel…
Pokémon Winds & Waves Full Region Map Leaked Alongside Gameplay Footage
Pokémon Winds & Waves full map has leaked online alongside a ton of gameplay details and beta footage.
Best Pokémon TCG deal: 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box for below market price
Amazon somehow still has stock.
Pokémon card collector used GPS device to track delivery woman
After 30 years, Pokémon remains among the most desirable collectible franchises in fandom and auctions regularly prove the cards' growing value. But one collector went too far in his efforts…
Pokémon TCG Pocket: Deluxe Pack: Mega Coming Soon
These four-card packs are guaranteed to include one Pokémon ex, helping you fill out your collection.
Pokémon TCG: 30th Anniversary Celebration Booster Bundles Are up for Preorder at Amazon, and Way Under Market Price Compared to TCGplayer
Amazon has recently restocked its allocation of Pokémon TCG's 30th Celebration Booster Bundles, which are currently available for just $45. That's considerably under current market rates, which sit around $122.64 at TCGplayer.
Target 'Pokémon' Event Quietly Meant To Stop Adults From Buying All The Cards From Kids
Target's special 30th Anniversary Pokémon event will give out a promo card, goodie bag, and plenty of TCG products
72-Year-Old Pokémon Collector Arrested After Illegally Tracking Woman Who Restocked Local Stores
A 72-year-old Pokémon card collector has been arrested for illegally tracking a woman who restocked local stores.
Tiny Violins At The Ready, Pokémon Scalpers Are Upset About New Expansion's Profitability
Boo hoo
Exclusive: The next Pokémon TCG Delta Reign illustration rare officially revealed
Sprigatito will get a new illustration rare in the new set…
72-Year-Old Put Tracker On Pokémon Delivery Driver's Car
According to local police, the Ohio man admitted to placing the tracker on the delivery driver's car to 'to track her location/delivery of Pokémon cards'
72-Year-Old Ohio Man Put A GPS Tracker On Pokémon Delivery Driver's Vehicle
Pokémon card value is at an all-time high
Pokémon 30th Celebration Cards Cause Fights, Arrests And Embarrassing Displays From The Crowds Camping Overnight
It's made all the more enjoyable when you realize the cards aren't holding any value
Pokémon coming to Science Museum for space-themed experience
Pokémon Space Trail is created in partnership with the European Space Agency
Pokémon Space Trail Launches at Science Museum
The Science Museum in London debuts a free Pokémon Space Trail Oct. 2 through Jan. 3, 2027, featuring ESA partnership content.
Nintendo Switch ports of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire look even more likely after official account shares suspiciously HD footage of the GBA games
Pokémon fans are convinced the other third-generation GBA games are headed to Nintendo Switch - and the evidence is certainly convincing.
GameStop's Shocking 'Pokémon' 30th Anniversary TCG Prices Have Been Quietly Redeemed
The retailer may be the cheapest way to buy an ETB quickly.
HD Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire Video Sparks Switch Port Speculation
The suspiciously HD Pokémon Ruby And Sapphire clip has fans convinced that Nintendo Switch ports of the games might be dropping sooner than expected
Pokémon Partners with the European Space Agency for World Space Week 2026
The Pokémon Company International is joining the countdown to World Space Week, taking off October 4 to 10.
The Best Competitive Cards from Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration -...
Pokémon has officially reached its 30th anniversary, and with that comes another special anniversary set in 30th Celebration. As you would probably
Serious collectors unpack how they're investing in Pokémon cards
A new frenzy for Pokémon cards has sent prices soaring. Here's what collectors say they look for when investing in the collectible card game.
Amazon Just Lowered the Price on the Hard-To-Find Pokémon TCG 30th Anniversary ETBs, if You Can Believe It — Yet There Is Still a Big Catch to Consider
Amazon US is accepting invite requests for Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration ETBs at $84—roughly $96 below market resale value on TCGplayer.
Best Pokémon TCG deal: Shop 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box for under market price
There's an extra step involved, but it's worth it.
Celebrate Pokéween with Play! Pokémon Events
Visit Play! Pokémon Stores and celebrate Pokéween with fa-boo-lous activities and prizes.
Pokémon TCG's 30th Celebration Set Has Incredible Pull Rates, And It's Demolishing Resale Prices
The prettiest cards are showing up five times more frequently than in years of recent sets
Super Ugly Mew Cards Are The Chase For Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary, And One’s Already Sold For $20k
The RGB Mew cards were at one point believed to be a hoax
Pokémon Creator Gets Dragged After Opening Possibly Stolen Cards
Roush bought the unreleased box sets two months ahead of their official release
Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Battle Pass Deck Strategies
Discover how to unlock the potential of devastating decks featuring Mew ex and Sylveon ex.
This Week in Pokémon GO: September 14-20, 2026
Pokémon GO’s September 14-20 2026 week has us enter the second week of the season of Twilight Trails! We welcome the new season with the end of the Mega Squads event, celebrate Pokémon Horizons with a new event, and Super Mega Staraptor Raid Day. Plus the weekly rotating Raid Hours, Spotlight Hour, Dynamax Battles and […]
Davie County based business, Grail Card Promotions specializes in sports and Pokémon card shows
A Davie County based business specializes in sports and Pokémon card shows. Grail Card Promotions is hosting several upcoming shows and giving back to local high schools.
Trading Cards Growth, Pokémon Apocalypse: A Chat With Peter Levin
A chat with Peter Levin, founder of venture firm Griffin Gaming Partners, on Hollywood's forays into the trading card business and how he curates his own 500,000-plus card collection.
Amazon Is Taking Preorder Requests for Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration ETBs Well Below Market Price, Marking a Rare First for US Collectors
Amazon US is accepting invite requests for Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration ETBs at $89.99—roughly $90 below market resale value on TCGplayer.
Pokémon Champions Director Wants To Keep The Game's Focus On PvP
"At least while more people are increasingly playing"
Amazon Just Restocked the Rare Pokémon TCG Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box for Under Market Price — Here Is Why Collectors Are Grabbing It Fast
Amazon has restocked the rare Pokémon TCG Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box for under market price.
Amazon Restocked the Rare Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection Directly, Offering a Chance to Chase the $1,500 Umbreon ex
Amazon has restocked the rare Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection featuring 15 booster packs and promo cards.
Harvest Festival 2026: Applin Picking
Pokémon GO’s Harvest Festival runs September 29 to October 5, 2026. Find out about Shiny Applin, Mossy Lures, event bonuses, research, and GO Pass rewards.
Pokémon TCG’s Final First Partner Illustration Set Is Finally Back in Stock at Amazon — Here Is Where to Get Series 3 Before It Sells Out Again
Amazon has restocked the Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 3 at market price. Here is where to buy the latest anniversary set.
Pokémon Go is Milking Mewtwo Too Hard, Fans Say, After a Lackluster Weekend Event Marred by More Server Issues
Mewtwo is being milked too hard, fans say, as Pokémon Go continues to capitalize on the creature's popularity and monetization potential.
Amazon Restocks Loads of Rare Pokémon TCG Sets for Labor Day, Including Hard-to-Find Prismatic Evolutions Super Premium Collections and Destined Rivals ETBs
Amazon has restocked rare Pokémon TCG products for Labor Day, including Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collections and Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Boxes.
Pokémon Champions’ director vows to keep turn-based battles as single-player is ruled out
Masaaki Hoshino reflects on Champions’ launch and discusses the future of competitive Pokémon…
Competitive Pokémon is on phones now, but you still need a Switch to become a champion
The mobile version of Pokémon Champions isn’t allowed at high-level tournaments. Maybe it should be.
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
The Best Gadgets of August 2026
This list has Pokémon in it. What more do you need to know?
Mega Mewtwo X and Y Adventure Effects Revealed, Plus New Additional Mega Charged Attacks
The Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale introduces a major update to Mega Evolution. Eligible Mega-Evolved Pokémon can now use an additional Charged Attack, while Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y gain new Adventure Effects through Dynamic Punch+ and Future Sight+. Several other featured Mega Pokémon will also receive new Charged Attacks during the […]
I dropped out of college and built a $7 million Pokémon cards business
Andres Fernandez dropped out of his business degree in college and built a Pokémon cards had $7.8 million in sales in 2025, mainly from Whatnot.
Pokémon World Champion Banned From Competing After Cutting Merch Line
Luca Ceribelli, Ruben Gianzini, and Luca Lussignoli were told they'd be banned from the Pokémon Center, but ended up barred from the event itself
Pikachu Visits Apple Park, Meets Tim Cook and John Ternus
Tim Cook shared an inside look at the work he is doing behind the scenes as he prepares to step down as Apple's CEO next week. Cook has been preparing incoming CEO John Ternus for the transition over the last several months, and today he introduced Ternus to popular Pokémon character Pikachu. Cook said he and Ternus met with the Pokémon team to talk gaming.
Google’s new Fitbit Air brings Pokémon Sleep to your wrist
Google teamed up with the Pokemon Company to introduce a special-edition Fitbit Air that works with the Pokémon Sleep app.
Google launches Pokémon Sleep special-edition Fitbit Air
Can this replace your Pokéwalker?
Google announces new Fitbit Air Special Edition with Pokémon Sleep [Hands-on]
The first follow-up to the Fitbit Air is a new Special Edition that integrates with Pokémon Sleep. Available in the US and Japan...
Google Is Releasing A Special Edition Pokémon Sleep Fitbit Air In September
You can get a special Fitbit Air with a sleeping Pikachu design next month.
Best Buy’s 60th Anniversary Sale Has Huge TCG Deals, but Amazon and TCGplayer Have Even Better Discounts on Pokémon and MTG Right Now
Save on Pokémon, MTG, and Disney Lorcana in Best Buy’s 60th Anniversary Sale, plus compare prices against top deals on Amazon and TCGplayer.
Is Mega Starmie any good for Pokémon GO Raids?
We got a slew of new Mega Evolutions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A and its DLC, but none of them has been as hilarious as Mega Starmie, which just got longer legs and became glossier. And yes, it runs like a human being, leaving players in stitches just by looking at it. Mega Patrick Starmie anyone?! […]
2026 Pokémon World Champions Preview: Pokémon TCG Power Rankings
Spoiler alert: Dragapult ex stays on top. But other decks aren’t far behind if our panel has anything to say about it.
Polaroid’s new Pokémon collection captures memories, not Pikachus
Polaroid celebrates 30 years of Pokémon with a new collection.
Cramorant Form Change Mechanic in Pokémon GO Explained
Cramorant Form Change Mechanic, counterattacks, and timing tips to maximize Gulping and Gorging Form value in Pokémon GO battles.
A PvP Analysis on Cramorant (Water Festival 2026)
We got another new release coming to the game, with CRAMORANT headlining this week’s Water Festival. And it has a lot of what you’re looking for in a PvP Pokémon! Let’s dive in and see how it may fit into the meta. CRAMORANT Stats and Stuff (Highest Stat Product IVs: 0-14-11 1500 CP, Level 27) So Flying Water types […]
Pokémon × Polaroid Special Edition Range Cameras Are Coming Soon
A trio of instant cameras inspired by Pikachu, Sylveon, and a Poké Ball, along with a variety of fun accessories, are coming soon.
Pokopia Fan Figures Out How To Get Limited-TIme Pokémon
It turns out it’s possible to recruit limited-time Pokémon within the bounds of the game
Is Barraskewda Worth Building in Pokémon GO? Full Meta Guide!
Barraskewda lin Pokémon GO Meta. Weak bulk and a poor moveset limit its value in raids and GO Battle League.
Starmie Stars in Pokémon GO Ultra Unlock: Starmie Super Mega Raid Day
Take down this leggy legend during Ultra Unlock: Starmie Super Mega Raid Day.
Starmie Stars in Pokémon GO Ultra Unlock: Starmie Super Mega Raid Day
Take down this leggy legend during Ultra Unlock: Starmie Super Mega Raid Day.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A Drop to Just $32 Each for Switch 2 — Limited Time Deal Expires in Under 24 Hours
Get Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A for just $31.99 each during Woot's 24-hour flash sale.
Large-Scale Pokémon Eviction Looms With Pokémon Bank Server Shutdown
After the Nintendo 3DS handheld console saw most its online services including the online store (eShop) taken offline not too long ago, it was only a matter of time before the demise of even the re…
Pokémon Announces It’s Ending Support For Bank Storage App
After a decade of support, the series is cutting off the means to bring monsters from old games to new ones
Pokémon Bank Is Shutting Down In February 2027
While FireRed and LeafGreen will be added to Pokémon Home
Pokémon Pokopia Fetching Scales for Feebas Event Guide, From Prism Scales to Milotic
Two Water-types grace Pokopia for a limited-time only
There's Never Been a Better Time to Log Into Pokémon Go, as the Game Gives Away a Perfect Stat Mewtwo and Master Ball
Log into Pokémon Go right now and you can claim an absurdly generous one-off prize: a Mewtwo with a unique background and 100% stats, as well as an incredibly rare Master Ball.
10th Anniversary Celebration: Guaranteed Hundo Mewtwo Timed Research
Starts Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at 4:00 PM Local Time Ends Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM Local Time The Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary celebrations just got even bigger! Trainers worldwide will be able to claim a free Timed Research culminating in an encounter with a guaranteed 100% IV Mewtwo featuring a Special Background. […]
Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version Link with Pokémon HOME This October
Complete the Pokédex to partner up with a new Pokémon, encounter new Legendary Pokémon, and more.
Round Up: The Reviews For Pokémon Pokopia: Bubbly Basin Are In
Including first impressions of the new DLC
See Meowth and Alolan Meowth from Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration
Take a look at newly revealed cards featuring Meowth and Alolan Meowth from the upcoming Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration
Pokémon's Newest DLC Still Falls Short of Palworld In One Major Way
At least my Pals care enough to help
Pokémon TCG Pocket Loses Nearly Half Its Players, And It's Obvious Why
The game's shortcomings have put a real hole in creator DeNA's financial results
PvE Guide: Fire and Ice Hatch Day
Pokémon GO Fire and Ice Hatch Day guide: Are Magmortar and Jynx worth powering up for PvE raids? Discover latest meta verdict now.
Review: Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass - Part 1: Bubbly Basin (Switch 2) - A Great First Dive From The DLC
Lovely jubbly Bubbly