Pokémon Sword and Shield are available to preload on Nintendo Switch right now. Here's how to do it and why you should.
There was a time when buying a video game meant playing it as soon as it was inserted into a console. No longer. Even buying a game at the stroke of midnight on release day doesn't mean it can be played right away. There's the dreaded download that comes next. It's been a thing for years, but it's still something that slips many minds.
We set aside the rest of the day to play our shiny new game only to discover it won't be ready for another eight hours. That's why developers have started to introduce preloading. Gamers can preorder a game, download it onto their console, and as soon as that aforementioned midnight hour strikes, it's game on, literally.
The latest games to offer preloading are Pokémon Sword and Shield. Both games are available to preload on Nintendo Switch. So how is it done, one might ask? It's pretty simple. Head to the Nintendo eShop or Nintendo's website, select whether you want to preorder Sword or Shield (or both), and then click the preload option when prompted. Therein lies the trickiest part of all, picking which game you want.
Pokémon games come in pairs, and each game in the pair has its respective perks. As for Sword and Shield, there's currently very little information on what those perks are. So far, the biggest thing Game Freak has revealed is that Sirfetch'd will be exclusive to Sword, and Galarian Ponyta can only be found on Shield. There will also be certain Gym Leader differences between versions. If you still can't decide, you might want to hold off on the preloading for now.
The other hard part about preloading a game is knowing it's there but not being able to play it. After the preload, it's hard not to think "the game is on there, just let me play it." Make sure there's enough room on your Switch for the game too. It'll take up roughly 10 GB of space. Now's the time to let go of some of those older games if you need to free up some room.
Pokémon Sword and Shield will be available on November 15, so those preloads will have to sit there for a little over two weeks.