Yesterday, Pokemon.com announced that the Pokémon Video Game Championships return in spring 2010 all around the world!

Returning players know most of the rules will be the same as last year but there are some exciting changes.

Here are the changes that have been made:

Players now using Pokémon HeartGold or SoulSilver Versiongames exclusively

Pokémon Level 51 and higher being automatically graded down to Level 50 for the duration of the battle using a new auto-leveling feature

- Each Pokémon keeps all of the moves it knew before being adjusted

- Pokémon that evolve after Level 50 don't devolve

- Any Pokémon below Level 50 will stay at its current level

Virtually every Pokémon found in the National Pokédex of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilverVersions is eligible, including Pokémon traded in from earlier games, with the following exceptions:

-  Arceus, Celebi, Darkrai, Deoxys, Jirachi, Manaphy, Mew, Phione, and Shaymin cannot participate

- A team cannot contain more than two of Dialga, Giratina, Groudon, Ho-Oh, Kyogre, Lugia, Mewtwo, Palkia, and Rayquaza during a battle

Stay tuned for more information about the Pokémon Video Game Championships! Also look for more details around March 14th in the US and March 26th in Europe for the release of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver!

Source: pokemon.com

As mentioned in a previous article, Jun'ichi Masuda recently revealed that a brand new Pokémon game would be released by the end of the year in Japan.  Some speculation has been made as to whether this will be a title for the DS, or possibly a successor to the DS; previous generations always began on newer handhelds.

Nintendo is evidently working on new hardware, according to game producer and designer Shigeru Miyamoto.  He wouldn't say what kind of hardware it is, but if it is a brand new iteration of the DS, then it stands to reason that the new Pokémon game would be released on this hardware.

Bear in mind, of course, that this is just speculation.  Be sure to check back at Project Pokémon for updates as they appear!

Source: Shigeru Miyamoto Discusses New Nintendo Hardware (1Up)

The official CoroCoro website posted a new silhouette of the new 5th Generation Pokemon. As you can see from the picture on the right that it is among a timeline showing all the games from Red & Blue till HeartGold & SoulSilver. However, theres an image that comes right after the HeartGold & SoulSilver covers. The image essentially confirms that the new games will be the 5th generation's !

It is also possible that this new Pokemon would be on the cover of the brand new game coming out in Japan by the end of year. This gives us a clue on what this new Pokemon could be, either a Legendary or a

starter because in all of the previous game covers the Pokemon that were on it were Legendaries and Starters. However, it is not yet confirmed that this new Pokemon would be on the cover of the new 5th generation game.

Pokemon Sunday confirmed that they were going to reveal this new Pokemon on their next show which is on February 21st and later announced that they would reveal another silhouette of a different Pokemon. It is possible that these Pokemon are the same but at the same time they could be two different Pokemon. And it was never actually stated that this new Pokemon was actually "Z". Therefore we could be dealing with two new Pokémon.

Expect CoroCoro to reveal the new Pokemon on February 15th which is the release date of the magazine.

Today the Official HeartGold & SoulSiver site was opened. The site features a language selector that is not yet usable to other languages except for English and Canadian (EN).

The site contains information on the new PokéWalker and your partner Pokémon walking by your side. Also, those who chose to pre-order, as stated before, will be given a Ho-Oh and Lugia figure; Arceus will not be given out.

Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver were also released in Korea today, February 4th. March 14th is still the set date for released in the Northern American territory (US & Canada), and will be available on the 26th of March for European buyers.

Source: http://www.pokemongoldsilver.com

With Kotone's debut imminent in the upcoming episode "An Egg Scramble", airing this Saturday (February 6th, 2010), the official Pokémon site has made adjustments to Kotone's page, revealing her English (US) name.

Kotone will now be known as Lyra. Lyra will also be keeping her English name for the upcoming re-release of Pokémon Gold & Silver; Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver.