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• The Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn't require any Marvel movie or TV show homework
• Its director Matt Shakman says it's a standalone story in every sense of the word
• Shakman also confirms he wasn't asked to directly set up Avengers: Doomsday story

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman has reiterated that the movie is a standalone story that doesn't require any homework on Marvel fans' part.

Speaking to TechRadar, Shakman says the forthcoming film isn't beholden to the same connective tissue that other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects are because it exists in a parallel dimension. It's for this reason, Shakman believes, that the Marvel Phase 6 flick can be enjoyed by MCU devotees and newcomers alike.

For the uninitiated: The Fantastic Four's latest big-screen reboot is set in an alternate reality to the MCU. They reside in another universe designated Earth-828, which is a reference to the birthday (August 28) of Marvel icon Jack Kirby, who co-created Marvel's first family alongside Stan Lee.

The eponymous superteam's existence in a separate dimension is the first time that a Marvel Studios project has been set outside of the MCU, aka Earth-616. It's a decision that's not only vital to the tale that First Steps will tell, but also freed Shakman and company of the increasingly complex shared universe that began 17 years (and counting!) ago with 2008's Iron Man.

"I love Marvel's shared storytelling," Shakman told me. "I love interconnectedness and I certainly enjoyed doing WandaVision [the Disney+ show that Shakman directed all nine episodes of], which was a big part of that interconnection.

"But, it was very freeing to just focus on this universe where we didn't have to deal with all of that. This was our chance to build a whole new universe where they [Fantastic Four] are the only heroes. You don't need to see other Marvel movies or shows to appreciate it. There are no Easter eggs. There are no other heroes. It's just about them, their world, and their story."

That won't be the case once First Steps' end credits have rolled. One of this year's most exciting new movies is the progenitor for Avengers: Doomsday, with events in the final Marvel film of 2025 directly leading into the next Avengers movie. For more details on that, read my ultimate guide on Avengers: Doomsday.

So, despite First Steps being a standalone story, was Shakman asked to establish any story beats for Avengers 5 in his first MCU film?

"Where they go from here, that's up to others," he teased. "They'll eventually join up with Earth's Mightiest Heroes and that'll be fun to see."

I guess we'll find out when First Steps arrives in theaters worldwide on Friday, July 25! In the meantime, read my ultimate guide on The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and my First Steps cast and character guide, to learn more ahead of its release. Then, read the section below for more exclusive coverage of the superhero movie.

• Was Doctor Doom ever considered as The Fantastic Four: First Steps' main villain? The Marvel movie's director has his say
• 'We hardly crossed paths': The actors behind The Fantastic Four: First Steps' villains never filmed a scene together – and only met once on the Marvel movie's set
• The Fantastic Four: First Steps director has a blunt message for fans who criticised the Marvel movie's visual effects: 'I think they're beautiful'

• Auracast support is in LG's 2025 OLEDs and some QNED TVs too
• One-to-many broadcasting is great for hearing aids and headphones
• Auracast is also in many Samsung TVs – but not all headphones offer it

Some of the most important technologies aren't necessarily the most eye-catching – so while LG's 2025 OLED TVs are impressively bright, for some people the most important feature may be their support for Auracast. That's an optional part of the most recent Bluetooth standards that enables multiple devices to stream audio from the same TV, or from other audio sources, without pairing.

It's a big deal for people with compatible hearing aids, or people who want to share the same show or movie while wearing a pair of the best wireless headphones.

LG has been pretty quiet about its Auracast support, which is surprising: as FlatpanelsHD notes, the only official announcement has been in collaboration with Starkey hearing aids, which suggests that LG sees Auracast as more of an accessibility feature than a mass-market thing.

But while supporting hearing aids is of course vital, Auracast also enables a shared audio experience for headphone users – and that's handy if you're in an apartment where listening loud is likely to upset the neighbors, or if you've got sleeping kids in the next room.

Most wireless audio connections are one-to-one, so when I connect my Samsung TV to my AirPods Max, I'm the only connected listener. But Auracast is one-to-many, so provided everybody's headphones (and other compatible kit such as Auracast-enabled Bluetooth speakers, hearing aids, AV receivers and soundbars) support the technology, they can all listen to the same audio at the same time with minimal latency.

There's more to Auracast than TV shows and movies, although it's great for that. It's also potentially very useful in places like transit hubs and lecture theaters, in sports bars and at speaking events.

LG isn't the first TV firm to support Auracast – that was Samsung, which first put Auracast into some of its high-end TVs two years ago – but the tech is in multiple LG models including the LG C5 and LG G5 OLED TVs, as well as the LG B5, the LG M5, and the QNED85A, QNED89A and QNED9M. And there's a growing selection of Auracast-enabled products out there.

One of the reasons for the relatively slow rollout of Auracast is that it isn't part of the core Bluetooth standard, so manufacturers can decide whether or not to support it.

However, a growing number of firms do, and hopefully that'll create a virtuous circle of firms making products that transmit Auracast audio and products that receive it – we're definitely happy to see it become standard among many of the best TVs.

• Bluetooth Auracast explained: 3 big reasons to upgrade
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• Sennheiser's new USB Hi-Res Audio dongle can upgrade your Mac, iPhone or PC with aptX Lossless and Bluetooth Auracast

• Existing Kiro users are being limited, new users are not currently being welcomed
• Pricing details have been pulled – could a change be on the way already?
• Users cited poor performance and a desire for additional models

Just days after Amazon Web Services launched its new Kiro AI coding tool, the company has imposed daily usage limits and a waitlist for new users due to high demand.

By imposing these temporary measures, AWS hopes to buy its teams time to scale the supporting infrastructure and improve performance, following complaints from early adopters that performance was already suboptimal.

Existing users are being advised not to install Kiro on multiple machines, with warnings now being triggered once they read the temporarily imposed usage limits.

Even though Kiro is barely a week old and the temporary restrictions are even newer, malicious actors have already been busy readying a fake download site to capitalize on users seeking unrestricted access. With no option to bypass limits or buy extra tokens, users are being urged to be patient.

Originally offered in free, Pro and Pro+ tiers, AWS has removed pricing details, stating that "updated pricing details for different tiers will be shared soon."

"The way humans and machines coordinate to build software is still messy and fragmented, but we're working to change that," Nikhil Swaminathan and Deepak Singh explained when they lifted the wraps off Kiro on July 14, 2025.

When it launched, Kiro was set to be free for users during a preview period, but that all changed when it popularity surpassed expectations.

Looking ahead, it's expected that paid plans with metering will return, though it's unclear whether AWS will make changes to the costs in light of high demand.

Further down the line, it's possible that AWS might also expand on the existing models available (Claude Sonnet 3.7 and 4.0), with users requesting support for Gemini 1.5 Pro.

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• Microsoft promises to reduce data retention costs to less than 10%
• Sentinel Data Lake will break down silos and empower security teams
• A layer of AI will improve detection and response time to outpace adversaries

Microsoft has launched Sentinel Data Lake as looks to break down silos, lower costs and improve large-scale threat detection with an updated, AI-optimized security data lake.

Now in public preview, Microsoft says users will no longer need to choose between retaining critical data and staying within budget, promising to reduce data retention costs to less than 10% of traditional analytics logs.

It combines SIEM, XDR and threat intelligence into a single platform, bringing together data from Microsoft and third-party sources with over 350 native connectors, promising to be a whole "new architecture," not "just a new product."

In order to democratize threat intelligence and improve coverage, Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence capabilities will now be available in Defender XDR and Sentinel without adding to the cost.

This is on top of the injection of artificial intelligence, which promises "faster detection, smarter response and the ability to outpace even the most sophisticated adversaries."

Microsoft says the update allows security teams to uncover attacker behavior without worrying about storage limits, which can significantly improve detection by analyzing company-specific trends.

Sentinel Data Lake "enables security teams to proactively detect latent attacks, detect emerging threats with AI-driven models, reconstruct attack timelines in forensic detail, and retroactively uncover indicators of compromise that might otherwise go unnoticed," Microsoft explained.

Among the benefits of Microsoft's upgraded Sentinel include the ability for companies to keep raw data for compliance and digital forensics and a lower TCO with faster ROI.

• Enhance cybersecurity with the best endpoint protection software
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• "Another pair of eyes" - Microsoft launches all-new Security Copilot Agents to give security teams the upper hand

Bad news, animation heads: according to Amazon MGM+, the first two seasons of Helluva Boss won’t arrive on Prime Video until late 2025, but we still don’t know exactly when. Amazingly, the new Prime Video show has also been commissioned for seasons 3 and 4, with these episodes set to join the existing two seasons on YouTube. All of this has happened without us even seeing a single scene, and that makes it the first deal of its kind for the streaming service.

Unsurprisingly, Helluva Boss is set like its namesake in Hell. The main protagonist of the show is Blitzo, the leader of I.M.P. (Immediate Murder Professionals) who is tasked with killing targets in the human world alongside a ragtag crew, amid an ongoing complicated situationship with the demon prince Stolas. It’s the most darkly comic work-life balance you could imagine, getting more absurdly violent the longer we watch.

That description alone makes me want to binge all of the show’s episodes immediately, but we’ve still got months left until its Prime Video release window (sometime between September and October) arrives. Thankfully, if you look through the streamer right now, you’ll find an equally bonkers animation ready to be streamed while you wait… and if you want my opinion, it’s absolutely unmissable.

You might be thinking that Hazbin Hotel looks remarkably like Helluva Boss, and that’s because both animations come from the same creative team. Both shows are set in the same ‘Hellaverse’, with Helluva Boss technically a spinoff of Hazbin Hotel (although with a different set of characters, as far as we can see). Basically, delving into the original is only going to expand your understanding of the show’s lore, and help you get fully acquainted with its absolutely unhinged approach to entertainment.

In the Hellaverse, Hell itself is incredibly overpopulated. Trying to find a non-violent alternative to house everyone there, Lucifer’s daughter decides to open a rehab hotel, where a group of demons try their best to get a second chance. That sounds rather gentle written down, but trust me when I say it’s anything but.

Hazbin Hotel is an animation that isn’t afraid to take its narrative direction to the extreme, mixing crude humor with outright musical numbers that would even make the genre’s most prolific haters sing and dance along. Creatively, it takes a total detour from what we’d typically expect from cartoon shows (yes, even the ones made for adults like Rick & Morty), swinging fans from hideously explicit schoolyard banter towards incredibly serious topics handled with a deftly light touch.

In a nutshell, the Prime Video animation isn’t conforming to any blueprint of existing narrative structure, and that’s what really makes it sing. Effortlessly diverse in its subject matter as well as its casting, we’ve got everything the mind could possibly comprehend to exist in a cartoon world packed into visual animation styling we’d recognize from our fondest memories of growing up. Get someone who can do both, as the kids say.

With only eight episodes to stream, fans can make easy work of their Hazbin Hotel binge in plenty of time to be ready and prepared for Helluva Boss. In my opinion, you’ll want to savour every minute, or at least go back and watch copious amounts of highlight clips on YouTube. If you don’t understand what on Earth’s going on, you don’t really have to – there's a method to their madness in keeping us hooked.

• Want to prepare for The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Skip the movies and watch this animated Disney+ show – it’s the best adaptation of Marvel’s First Family
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• Microsoft has given us more details on how PC-to-PC migration works
• It'll offer a useful alternative to those who don't want to restore a backup via OneDrive
• The feature does still have caveats, though, including needing a Microsoft account - and it won't support Arm-based PCs initially, either

Microsoft has provided more details on how its PC-to-PC migration feature will actually work when it comes to switching over to a new Windows 11 PC.

The feature is designed to smooth over the upgrade to a new PC, and make it as easy as possible - albeit with some caveats - and clearly the focus is on helping Windows 10 users switch to Windows 11 (assuming their hardware supports the latter OS).

Previously, PC-to-PC migration has been seen in testing, and Microsoft has put the shell of the experience in the release version of Windows 11 (with the latest update) - however, it isn't yet functional.

At least we now know exactly how the ability will work thanks to a support post Microsoft has uploaded (as Thurrott.com spotted). So, let's dive into all the key details you need to know.

The old PC and new PC you're transferring over to will need to be on the same network, either connected via Ethernet (wired, to your router) or wireless (on the same Wi-Fi network).

Both machines will also need to be signed into a Microsoft account - so with the new PC, you'll have to sign in to an account during setup. Once that initial setup is run, you can kick off the PC-to-PC migration, which will pair the PCs using a one-time-code.

You'll then have to select what you want to transfer across in the way of files or settings. You can transfer almost everything in terms of files and the options you've chosen in Windows, including personalized elements of the desktop (wallpapers or themes), but there are a few exceptions.

What won't be ported across includes temporary and system files (which you wouldn't want anyway), as well as the apps installed on the old PC, and saved passwords (though you may have them stored in your browser, anyway).

Once you've chosen the data and settings to be ported across, the process will begin, providing you with a timer as an indication of how long you'll be waiting (hopefully an accurate one - these countdowns aren't always that reliable).

If the network connection should drop somehow, Microsoft says that Windows will automatically try to resume the data transfer when it's back up again - though you can manually restart the process if all else fails.

The PC-to-PC migration feature is essentially an alternative for those who haven't configured a backup (saved to OneDrive) via the Windows Backup app. If you have one of those, you can simply deploy that backup on the new PC - if not, you can use PC-to-PC migration instead (as a local data transfer method, but you must still be signed into a Microsoft account as noted). Or at least you'll be able to when it's fully released to Windows 11 (and 10) PCs, which should happen soon enough - I'm betting Microsoft will want this up and running before Windows 10 reaches End of Life (for obvious reasons).

It's worth noting that if you do configure a backup on the Windows Backup app - just to sync your device settings, in fact - you get an additional year of support for Windows 10 for free (dodging the $30 fee Microsoft had previously slapped on this option).

So, Backup is clearly an app Microsoft wants people to use - and I can see that choice being a popular stopgap measure to put off any decision on upgrading to Windows 11 until next year - but it's good to see that PC-to-PC migration is being offered up as another way forward, with fewer strings attached (OneDrive-wise, though you still have to use a Microsoft account).

With PC-to-PC migration, the main thing you don't get ported over to the new PC is your apps, but that isn't surprising. Indeed, the Backup app won't provide your apps when it restores a backup - although it can restore apps from the Microsoft Store, and with third-party apps, provide a link to download them for convenience (you don't get that ability with the new migration feature).

The main difference with the new feature, then, is that migration does not require or use OneDrive (albeit it does need a Microsoft account), and there are no options pertaining to keeping your apps (even if using Windows Backup is limited in that respect, too).

Some other notable caveats with PC-to-PC migration are that it doesn't work with drives that are encrypted with BitLocker (they must be decrypted first), and that devices with Arm CPUs aren't supported either (yet). Given that Microsoft says Arm PCs aren't "currently" catered for, I expect that to change soon enough - especially as these represent a fair chunk of Copilot+ PCs, which are the machines Microsoft is busy trying to get everyone to buy into.

As noted, we're still waiting for the full PC-to-PC migration experience to be enabled in Windows 11 (and Windows 10), but it shouldn't be too long before this happens.

• Microsoft promises to crack one of the biggest problems with Windows 11: slow performance
• Windows 11's handheld mode spotted in testing, and I'm seriously excited for Microsoft's big bet on small-screen gaming
• No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claim

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, July 22 (game #1275).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3.

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

• O

• P

• R

• W

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1276, are…

• OZONE
• PENCE
• ROOMY
• WIDER

A tricky one today that took me far longer than usual.

OZONE was hard to get. Once I’d decided to look for words beginning with the letter O, I got there more quickly – but I required a lengthy period of putting in random letters until I got there.

PENCE was a kicker, too, as it’s a recurring Quordle word – the last time was just two weeks ago.

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1276, are…

• HARPY
• GROUP
• FARCE
• ALIBI

• Quordle #1275, Tuesday, 22 July: OPTIC, GIDDY, VOCAL, ADULT
• Quordle #1274, Monday, 21 July: KNEED, SNAIL, PINTO, FEAST
• Quordle #1273, Sunday, 20 July: GRACE, COUNT, EGRET, GIANT
• Quordle #1272, Saturday, 19 July: EARLY, CLICK, TRITE, SPREE
• Quordle #1271, Friday, 18 July: CINCH, FOYER, FUDGE, TAFFY
• Quordle #1270, Thursday, 17 July: CRESS, TABOO, POWER, HATER
• Quordle #1269, Wednesday, 16 July: UNCLE, NADIR, REMIT, BROOM
• Quordle #1268, Tuesday, 15 July: VILLA, FLECK, TIGER, CRANE
• Quordle #1267, Monday, 14 July: SURGE, PIZZA, PAPER, POPPY
• Quordle #1266, Sunday, 13 July: KAYAK, DECRY, RUDDY, HATER
• Quordle #1265, Saturday, 12 July: WREAK, NANNY, CLASP, STAIN
• Quordle #1264, Friday, 11 July: LAPEL, DRAIN, FROND, GROSS
• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE
• Quordle #1260, Monday, 7 July: DROLL, TRUCE, TWIRL, SINCE
• Quordle #1259, Sunday, 6 July: AMPLY, SPAWN, EXTOL, RIDGE
• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF

Pokémon Presents returned today (July 22, 2025) and we've been here covering the build-up, the presentation itself, and now dissecting everything announced.

Everything announced
Start time
Duration
Teases
Predictions
Live coverage

While many fans were hoping for big announcements on mainline Pokémon titles, the show mostly focused on updates on existing games.

We saw more on Pokémon Champions, which looks to focus entirely on battles, and then there were other games like Pokémon GO, Pokémon Unite, and Pokémon Sleep covered too.

Here’s our live coverage of Pokémon Presents, including a breakdown of everything announced during the event. We're still providing up-to-date details now the event is over, as well as some commentary and impressions on the bigger announcements.

Here' a list of everything announced at today's Pokémon Presents so you can get an overview of all the details.

Pokémon World Championships

• Hosting the championship in an arena for the first time in 2025
• There'll be livestreams of the event on weekends
• All attendees get a free digital code to obtain Toedscool in Scarlet and Violet

Pokémon Concierge

• New episodes coming September 4, exclusively on Netflix

Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d and Pichu

• New stop-motion show in collaboration with Aardman Studios
• Told from the perspective of Pokémon
• Coming 2027

PokéPark Kanto

• New Pokémon land, where fans can experience the world of Pokémon
• Pokémon Forest
• Sedge Town
• Pokémon will be featured around the park
• Grand opening planned for 2026

Pokémon GO Fest 2025: Max Finale

• August 23 -24
• Eternatus will make its global debut
• Mega Evolutions will be a focus

Pokémon Cafe Remix update

• Sea adventure-themed decorations
• New outfits for Lapras and Jigglypuff

Pokémon Sleep

• New area called Amber Canyon

Pokémon Unite 4th anniversary

• Latios and Latias are coming
• New code UNITE0722

Pokémon Trading Card Game update

• Mega Evolutions coming September 26

Pokémon Friends officially revealed

• New puzzle game
• Coming to Mobile and Switch
• Out now!

Pokémon main series updates

• Free update geared for Switch 2 is available for Scarlet and Violet
• New Tera Raid Battle for Scarlet and Violet tomorrow (July 23, 2025) - The Shiny Treasures of Ruin
• New in-game costumes

Pokémon Champions details and release date

• Nintendo Switch and mobile
• Invite previous partners by linking to Pokémon Home
• Recruit Pokémon to battle in teams
• Ranked battles with players around the world
• Private battles with family and friends
• Single battles and double battles
• New way to raise Pokémon by teaching them new moves
• Coming 2026

Pokémon Legends Z-A

• New gameplay look - Battles, new NPCs, Pokémon, etc
• Nintendo Switch 2 edition
• New story details - two characters/teams to choose between
• Lumiose City details - night and day system, character customization
• Dog-like Pokémon, Furfou, can be customized
• Mega Evolutions - New Mega Dragonite
• Early bonus pre-order stuff

Here's when today's Pokémon Presents presentation started, its duration and where you could catch it.

• Start time: July 22 at 6am PT, 9am ET, 2pm BST, 3pm CEST, 11pm AEST
• Duration: 24 minutes
• Where to watch: YouTube or Twitch

UPDATE: Now that the show is over, we know that the tease of Pikachu as a DJ was just a nod to the pre-show of Pokémon music.

At present, we only really have one tease for the Pokémon Presents event. An image has been shared on the official Pokémon X account showing Pikachu standing next to a pair of DJ decks (embedded below). This could mean a new music-focused game, or some tie-in with the Nintendo Music App. I’m certainly hoping it’s the former, as a Pokémon-themed DJ Hero-like experience could be really fun.

7月22日（火）に配信される「Pokémon Presents」は、同日21時から視聴ページがオープンするよ。ピカチュウが何やら準備しているみたい……？続報をお楽しみに！#ポケモンプレゼンツ pic.twitter.com/9CJWjwvL2WJuly 15, 2025

The Pokémon Company is yet to reveal how long the Pokémon Presents event will last, well, not officially. As reported by GamesRadar+, the Korean YouTube channel for The Pokémon Company appeared to upload the listed presentation before taking it down. This revealed that the upcoming showcase is 24 minutes long.

Given that there’s been very little teased for Pokémon Presents so far, we’re left to our own devices in terms of predicting what will be announced. The safe bets are Pokémon Legends Z-A and Pokémon Champions, as we’re yet to see a lot of either. Pokémon Legends Z-A is currently planned as the next major title, so I’d love to see some details on multiplayer and a look at how the game runs on Nintendo Switch 2.

I know it’s unlikely, but my dream is to have old mainline Pokémon games added to Nintendo Switch Online. This would mean the first three generations, though, as someone who never played Gen 5, I’d also love to see Pokémon Black and White added to the online service. Generation 9 launched back in 2022, so we’re due for Gen 10 sooner rather than later. It’s unlikely that we’ll get another mainline Pokémon game in 2025, but it’s possible we’ll get a tease for next year.

Finally, I’d love to see the Pokémon Pinball games added to Switch 2 in some form. These are underrated Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games that’d fit perfectly into the current NSO offering. In terms of other games that could be added, it’d be great to see GameCube’s Pokémon Colosseum made available to modern platforms.

Hello and welcome to my live coverage of today’s Pokémon Presents event. I’ll be following the show live, and posting every announcement, as well as my thoughts, right here on this live blog. Hopefully, we’ll get some info on future games, as well as some nice surprises. Let’s get started.

Let’s start by taking a look at when the event starts. Pokémon Presents will go live at 6am PT, 9am ET, 2pm BST, 3pm CEST, 11pm AEST. The show will last 24 minutes, and can be watched via the official Pokémon YouTube and Twitch channels.

The safest bet for today’s announcements is easily more info on Pokémon Legends Z-A. The game focuses on Mega Evolution, so I’m betting we’ll see some more on that. We also need to see more on multiplayer, which will no doubt be a big part of the endgame.

The only tease we’ve gotten for today’s show came from the official Japan Pokémon X account. It’s an image showing Pikachu standing beside DJ decks (shown above). What this actually means is anyone’s guess, but I’m hoping to see a new Pokémon music game, perhaps in the style of DJ Hero. One can hope.

One thing I've always wanted to happen in a Pokémon Presents broadcast is the announcement of the series' first three generations coming to Nintendo Switch Online. That's Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow for the Game Boy, Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal for Game Boy Color, and finally Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald for Game Boy Advance.

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have always seemed oddly reluctant to host these legendary titles on Nintendo Switch Online's various libraries, and I'm not really sure why. Some of these games have been re-released in the past, on 3DS as Virtual Console titles. They'd surely also bring in new Switch Online subscribers in droves, especially while we wait on Pokémon Legends Z-A and a potential Gen 10.

Hopefully today is the day, but I won't hold my breath.

While there's certainly an outside chance the next mainline Pokémon titles get announced today, I don't think it's overly likely. Pokémon Legends Z-A is on the horizon, as well as Pokémon Champions.

Furthermore, Game Freak is currently developing Beast of Reincarnation, a multiplatform action game for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The developer will undoubtedly have its hands full with the upcoming game, so I'd estimate we're at least another year or two out from Pokémon's tenth generation.

That said, Pokémon games have routinely been on a notoriously rushed schedule. Most recently, we saw this with Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launching within the same year, and you could clearly see the effects of this. I would hope Game Freak is instead given the proper amount of time to create Gen 10, better suited to the Switch 2's increased power.

This is your one-hour warning, people!

Only 60 minutes until we hopefully get a glimpse of some exciting new Pokémon news and details.

Get your snacks in order and your live stream of choice lined up! Remember, you can catch the presentation on YouTube or Twitch.

While you wait for the show to start, why not check out Pokémon TCG Pocket’s new limited time event? There’s now Eevee and Eevee evolutions in Wonder Picks, and even Missions that give out shop tickets as rewards. This event runs until July 29, so make sure to jump in and make the most of the new bonuses and rewards. It’s likely we’ll see more on Pokémon TCG Pocket during the event too.

There's just 20 minutes until Pokémon Presents, so make sure to leave this live blog open if you'd like to follow along with my live coverage. What announcements are you hoping to see? Personally, I'd love to see the Pokémon Colosseum games added to the GameCube section of Nintendo Switch Online. I'm also excited for Pokémon Unite's upcoming fourth anniversary celebrations, which are usually announced in July.

Just 10 minutes to go, so time for one final prediction. Pokémon Champions is an upcoming battle-focused game set for Nintendo Switch and mobile. Currently, there’s no release date or even a vague release window, so I’m betting we’ll see more on the game later today. Players will be able to use Pokémon Home to bring in their stored Pokémon, and there’s cross-platform play confirmed between Switch and mobile users

So the Pokémon Company has just launched an app called Pokémon Friends on the App Store, ahead of the showcase. According to the description, it's a puzzle game with other 1,200 puzzles. It has a cutesy plushie aesthetic, and is free to download now.

Pokémon World Championships details kicks off the Pokémon Presents showcase. The event will actually take place in an arena for the first time ever, similar to EVO. Attendees will also receive a code to receive Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet.

The highly-rated Pokémon Concierge gets more details at the Pokémon Presents showcase. The Netflix show is set to receive new episodes on September 4.

Legendary British stop-motion studio Aardman is teaming up with the Pokémon brand for a new show. The Wallace and Gromit creator revealed a few details about the show along with some humorous footage. It looks cute!

Coming 2027, the show is called Pokémon: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu.

A Pokémon theme park, Poképark Kanto will provide an experience similar to Super Nintendo World, offering an interactive, walkable Pokémon world. Grand opening planned for 2026.

Pokémon Go Fest 2025 Max Finale is coming to the popular mobile app.

The usual mobile updates here, unique Pokémon and characters up for grabs. 3,000 gems also on offer in Pokémon Masters EX.

More updates, and Latios and Latias are coming to popular MOBA Pokémon Unite.

All-new cards are coming to Pokémon TCG mobile game. Mega Evolution cards including Mega Lucario and Mega Venusaur, with very nice shiny cards, coming soon on September 26.

It shadow-dropped just before the show, but the brand new Pokémon Friends is now available on Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch systems. It looks like it offers several types of puzzles. Good for the brain! You can decorate rooms with Pokémon plushies too.

Just a new Tera Raid battle arriving tomorrow, also showcasing the Switch 2 performance update which came in June when the system launched.

Pokémon Champions revitalizes the Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Battle Revolution formula. It's compatible with Pokémon Home, too.

As you might expect, you can build a team of six Pokémon, and take part in Ranked or Private Battles. The presentation looks really nice, even if gameplay is the very familiar turned-based system.

The game also has full effort value and individual value stats support. Nice.

No release date as of yet, but it's expected in 2026.

We're seeing more footage of the upcoming Pokémon Legends Z-A, coming to both Switch and Switch 2.

Largely a focus on the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Pokémon reveals, and more exploration and story.

You'll join Team MZ at the start of the game, spending time in Lumiose City across day and night. It seems that different events and situations can happen depending on the time of day. That probably includes different Pokémon too.

The Z-A Royale seems to be the new gym format, and is only accessible at night time.

We're also getting a look at character customization. Hair and clothing options seem pretty robust. Even Pokémon like Furfrou can be customized with various accessories.

Rogue Mega Evolutions are a new feature, where Pokémon can transform themselves, posing a threat. You'll be tasked with taking these on with your own Mega evolved Pokémon, including Mega Dragonite or Tyranitar.

The game is launching on October 16, 2025.

Well, that was one of the Pokémon Presents showcases of all time.

The Aardman and Pokémon collaboration is coming sometime in 2027. It's called Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu, and you can check out the teaser embedded above. It looks wonderful, as expected from the Wallace and Gromit studio. I can't wait to see how it comes together.

A #NintendoSwitch2 bundle including #PokemonLegendsZA – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition will launch October 16th! Pre-orders begin July 23rd at participating retailers. pic.twitter.com/M6583LubmOJuly 22, 2025

A new Switch 2 bundle for Pokémon Legends Z-A was announced shortly after the Pokémon Presents event. Hopefully, this will give players the chance to pick up the new console and the new Pokémon title at a reduced price, like we saw with the Mario Kart World bundle at launch. This new bundle is coming October 16, 2025, with pre-orders starting tomorrow (July 23, 2025).