A new version of Pokémon Masters EX, version 2.44.0, is now available to download. Together with this update, the monthly message from the producers of Pokémon Masters EX has teased several upcoming events that will run in game over the next few weeks, including a brand new Story Event featuring the debut of Rika & Clodsire. The next letter from the producers is slated to be released in late-May.

A special trailer posted to Pokémon Masters EX's official social media accounts today has revealed that Rika, the fan-fave member of the Paldea Elite Four, will be making their Pasio debut later this week in a special Poké Fair Scout. Welcome Rika social rallies has also been launched on the official English and Japanese language accounts on X.

This week’s merch roundup centers on kids as the Pokémon Center adds to its official baby line, monpoké, with new books and a Bonpoint clothing collab, while Japanese fans will also get new Pokémon picture books by prolific children’s book author Akio Kashiwara. The Bonpoint x Pokémon capsule collection is available now online at Bonpoint’s website, with select pieces available online at the Pokémon Centers US, U.K., and Canada.

Niantic has released full details on the Pokémon GO in-person event being held in Melbourne, Australia starting later this week in conjunction with the DreamHack Melbourne festival, which runs from April 26th to April 28th. Trainers will be able to take part in the in-person gameplay experience during the event around the Rod Laver & Margaret Court Arena at Melbourne & Olympic Parks.

Pokémon GO is currently undergoing a major overhaul of several core aspects of the game, with significant changes being made to tailor the in-game map, encounter screens, battle screens, and more to the player's current location, as well as updates to avatar options, the Style Shop, and GO Snapshot. This update is being released in four different parts, with the first three, Rediscover Yourself, Rediscover Your World, and Rediscover Kanto all live in-game now. The final part, Rediscover Your Reality, is scheduled to go live in game on May 7th.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are celebrating Japan's Golden Week of holidays with a selection of Mass Outbreaks and Tera Raids running from this Friday April 26th at Midnight (UTC), through until Monday May 6th at 11:59pm (UTC).

Wait a second, is this week's episode of Pokémon Horizons the first time that Friede hasn’t shown up in an episode? Wow! I just realized this when his seminar came up right at the end. Anyways, this was actually a really great episode! Liko gets to battle Katy, and terastalizes Floragato for the first time too!

Following hot on the heels of Part 1 earlier this week, 2023's Trainer Files: Kanto Elite Four (Part 2) event is returning to Pokémon Masters EX today, alongside the latest run of the Blissful Bonanza.

Plenty of new merch is coming in at Pokémon Centers across the world this week, including Pokémon Center Japan, where the newest apparel line is themed after the Terastal phenomenon. The “TeraCute” and “TeraCool” lines include apparel, accessories, and lots of jewelry in the sparkly style of Terastallization. TeraCool features icy and elegant Pokémon on its items, like Chien-Pao earrings for ¥1,320 ($8.54 USD), a Dragonair lanyard and card case for ¥2,200 ($14,23 USD), and, interestingly, a Frosmoth wind chime for ¥2,420 ($15.65 USD). Meanwhile, the TeraCute line stars some of the expected cuties, like Tandemaus earrings for ¥1,430 ($9.25 USD), Pikachu, Mew, Dolliv, Tandemaus, and Flittle on an acrylic jewelry box for ¥2,970 ($19.21 USD), or the same Pokémon frolicking on a sheer shirt for ¥4,400 ($28.46 USD). The TeraCute and TeraCool lines will be dropping in-store on April 27th, with preorders online beginning April 25th.

Earlier this week, Niantic announced details regarding the next Pokémon GO Hatch Day, which features the Star Shape Pokémon, Cleffa. The main event will be held on Sunday April 28th, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm local time, with extended bonuses starting two days before on Friday April 26th at 10:00am local time.

Earlier this week, Niantic released full details for the upcoming Sustainability Week event, which will be taking place in Pokémon GO starting April 22nd at 10:00am, and running through to April 26th at 8:00pm local time.

The first volume of Pokémon Adventures: Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is scheduled to be available as part of Free Comic Book Day 2024, which will be held Saturday, May 4th. The event, hosted by indie comic shops across North America, offers visitors a variety of free comics and manga and is celebrated “as a way to get customers to visit the comic shops in their local community.” Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is offered as Gold sponsor title, meaning every shop that is participating in Free Comic Book Day will have them available, though quantities of popular titles like Pokémon are often limited. Customers can find a local participating shop on Free Comic Book Day’s website.

Today's updates on the Pokémon Trading Card Game's official Japanese homepage and YouTube channel have revealed most of the remaining new cards from the upcoming Transformation Mask expansion for the Scarlet & Violet series of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, which releases in Japan at the end of next week on April 26th. Cards from this set will be released internationally on May 24th year as part of the Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade expansion.

A new video on the Pokémon Trading Card Game's official Japanese YouTube channel has revealed new cards for Poliwag, Poliwhirl, and Poliwrath, which will be released in Japan late next week on April 26th as part of the Transformation Mask expansion for the Scarlet & Violet series of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Cards from Transformation Mask will be released internationally later this year as part of the Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade expansion on May 24th.

2023's Trainer Files: Kanto Elite Four (Part 1) event is returning to Pokémon Masters EX today, alongside a set of Variety Scouts featuring the Kanto Elite Four members.

Today's livestream on the Pokémon Trading Card Game's official Japanese YouTube channel has revealed an Art Rare print of the previously announced new card for Tatsugiri. This card will be released in Japan at the end of next week on April 26th as part of the Transformation Mask expansion for the Scarlet & Violet series of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Cards from Transformation Mask will be released internationally later this year as part of the Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade expansion on May 24th.

Pokémon Sleep will enter a maintenance period this week on Thursday April 18th, ahead of a planned update of the software to Version 1.4.0. This maintenance period is expected to go for roughly 4 and a half hours, from 1:00am until 5:30am (UTC). The update includes a variety of balance adjustments, along with some minor content changes, and updates to prepare the game for the Flower Festival event starting on April 22nd.

A brand new hero is arriving in Pokémon Masters EX today, with Selene (Special Costume) & Scizor making their debut in a new set of Costume Scouts alongside the ongoing New Heroes Are Born Costume Event. The Selene Costume Scout and Selene Costume Tiered Scout will run through until May 19th, at 10:59pm (PDT). The associated Selene Costume Featured Ticket Scout and Selene Costume Guaranteed Ticket Scout meanwhile will run through to May 26th, at 10:59pm (PDT).

What I like most about this week's episode of Pokémon Horizons is that so much is given out, and that it's all explained so thoroughly. Instead of having the kids go on a Treasure Hunt like in the game, Liko, Roy and Dot enroll in Naranja Academy’s Terastal Course. It turns out that the school allows students from all over the world to enroll in the course to learn more about the Terastal phenomenon, as permitted by Director Clavell and Chairwoman Geeta.

Saturday marked the first day of the Aichi Champions League, an event where the best Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game players are pitted against each other to see who the true champion is! The event was livestreamed on the official Japanese Pokémon Card Game channel on YouTube. Several new cards were presented at the end of the first day of the event for the Transformation Mask expansion. A follow-up video summarizing the new cards was also posted to the channel. These cards will be released in Japan later this month on April 26th, and will release internationally as part of the Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade expansion, which comes out May 22nd.