Today, The Pokémon Company International and Nintendo announced more details for the new cloud service app Pokémon HOME. The app enables Trainers to continue their Pokémon adventures beyond a single game system and manage their collection of Pokémon across many of their games. Pokémon HOME will launch in February 2020 for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices as well as the Nintendo Switch system.
Designed as a place where all Pokémon can gather, Pokémon HOME will enable Trainers to bring over Pokémon from linked Pokémon series games and deposit them in Pokémon Boxes in the cloud or move them around to linked compatible games. Also, by linking the same Nintendo Account to both the Nintendo Switch version and the mobile device version, fans will be able to access the same Pokémon Boxes from both hardware platforms. The Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME supports connectivity with the Nintendo Switch games Pokémon Sword, Pokémon Shield, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!, and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! Both the Nintendo Switch version and the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME support connectivity with the Nintendo 3DS software Pokémon Bank. Support for Pokémon GO is also in development.
Connecting Pokémon HOME to Pokémon Games
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield can link to the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME. Once the games are linked, users can deposit or retrieve Pokémon that can be obtained using those games.
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! can link to the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME. Users can move Pokémon back and forth between Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! or into Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. Once a Pokémon from Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! is moved to Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield, it cannot be returned to its original game.
If a user is enrolled in a Premium Plan (paid), they will be able to move Pokémon from Nintendo 3DS Pokémon titles to Pokémon HOME using Pokémon Bank. Once a Pokémon from Pokémon Bank is moved into Pokémon HOME, it cannot be moved back to Pokémon Bank.
To celebrate the release of Pokémon HOME, Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter will be available at no cost for a one-month period after Pokémon HOME is released. Trainers will be able to bring over Pokémon from various Pokémon series games using Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter. Once they have their Pokémon in Pokémon Bank, Trainers will then be able to move the Pokémon to Pokémon HOME.
Trade Pokémon
There are four ways to trade Pokémon using Pokémon HOME on a mobile device. This makes it possible to trade Pokémon anywhere and anytime.
- Pokémon placed in the Wonder Box can be traded with people around the world. Pokémon placed in the Wonder Box will be traded even when Pokémon HOME is not being used.
- With the Global Trade System (GTS), fans can specify which Pokémon they want to trade and which Pokémon they want to receive. They will then be matched with a Trainer if both meet each other’s criteria.
- Room Trade lets Trainers create a room and trade Pokémon among the people who join. Each room can hold up to 20 people. Trading in rooms has no cost, but users will only be able to create rooms when enrolled in a Premium Plan (paid).
- Friend Trade allows Trainers to trade their Pokémon with nearby users who they have become friends with in Pokémon HOME. Trainers can add friends using the Add Friend feature in Pokémon HOME.
More Features
Pokémon HOME has many features that Trainers can use to connect with games in the Pokémon series and more.
- Pokémon will be registered to the National Pokédex when users deposit them in the Boxes in Pokémon HOME. If users deposit a Pokémon that can Mega Evolve or Gigantamax, then these forms will also be registered. In the National Pokédex, Trainers will be able to see Pokédex entries from various games in one place. With the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME, users will also be able to search by Pokémon’s Abilities or moves.
- Trainers can receive Mystery Gifts in the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME. With this feature, they can receive Mystery Gifts for Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield as well as gifts specifically for Pokémon HOME. Pokémon received in Pokémon HOME can be directly deposited in a Box in Pokémon HOME. Trainers can also receive some gifts, such as items for Pokémon, by receiving a code for a Mystery Gift in Pokémon HOME and then using that code in Pokémon Swordor Pokémon Shield.
- If a Trainer has enrolled in a Premium Plan, they will have access to the Judge function, which allows them to check how strong their Pokémon are.
- In the Yours Room tab, Trainers will be able to see all sorts of information about events or the games they’ve connected to Pokémon HOME. They’ll also be able to edit their profile using stickers. They can obtain stickers in Pokémon HOME when they meet certain conditions or perform certain tasks known as Challenges.
- In the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME, users can check out how Ranked Battles and various Online Competitions in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are going, as well as the rankings of the Pokémon being used in them. By going to Battle Data, they’ll be able to see the battle records of each Trainer as well as information about what moves are popular among the Pokémon in the competitions.
- In Pokémon HOME for mobile devices, Trainers will be able to receive news about Pokémon being distributed as gifts and information about Online Competitions for Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.
- Pokémon HOME Points are points that accumulate in Pokémon HOME as Trainers deposit more Pokémon. When using the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME, Trainers will be able to exchange their Pokémon HOME Points for BP (Battle Points) to be used in core Pokémon series games.
Mobile device pricing structure (including tax):
- 1 month (30 days) – $2.99
- 3 months (90 days) – $4.99
- 12 months (365 days) – $15.99
Source: The Pokemon Company
First thing I’m doing is breeding old Pokémon to see what has new Galarian forms
From what I understand, you can’t trade old Pokemon into Sword/Shield, unless these Pokemon also appear in the Galar pokedex.
But the update will allow approx. 200 old Pokémon, some with galarian forms most likely just based on the slowpoke
Exactly why I am not happy. I have been holding out on a switch because of this alone. This pokemon gen pretty much made me hate nintendo products past the 3ds. I keep checking this site and other pokemon news sites, trying to feel hype but now I just don’t. I don’t feel the child like happiness pokemon used to give me anymore.
Now I just look for how I am getting spit in the face this time as a consumer and how amplified the toxic drama is gonna be whenever pokemon is mentioned in anyway anymore. It was always there but if even Joe Merrick mentions it, it’s not just solely me being depressed.
I don’t mind the fee, and I can push through my distaste of the paid dlc, but the fact that not every pokemon is important enough to nintendo/game freak who whoever makes these choices is just awful. I have seen some people who program and know what they are talking about say why it’s possible and agree that it has to be some business decision holding them back.
I’ve already had enough arguments with people about this, just posted this say that the spirit of pokemon is dead even within gamefreak, and I hope I’m not alone with how soul-crushing that is to me.
$15.99???? Are you really fucking serious?
Approximately 1.33$ per month .. the ”price” of a coffee
Tha’s a really expensive coffee
For comparison, the Nintendo Switch Online membership is 20 dollars per year… paying 15 dollars for a storage service for pokemon is kind of silly. Aside from transferring from the 3DS games, the only other major perk for having premium HOME is the judge feature, which is already in the generation 7 and 8 titles.
It’s not worth paying for more than one month, imo.
It’s $10 more than bank when I’m going to be using it the exact same way and you have to pay for two separate transaction fees just to transfer from 7 to 8. Stop being a bootlicker.
@ Denny- as a total coffee nut, I can say that 1.33 is normal for a well brewed coffee, if you’re a person who enjoys Coffee ☕.
Yeah it’s really not much for a year
Have fun paying an additional $5 on top of that if you ever go back to the older games and decide you want to transfer to the newest game, since bank is not free.
“If a user is enrolled in a Premium Plan (paid), they will be able to move Pokémon from Nintendo 3DS Pokémon titles to Pokémon HOME using Pokémon Bank.”
Exactly what I was hoping would be the free part of HOME. :(
I’m guessing it’s pretty unlikely that they’ll give one month free to transfer pokemon, like with Bank.
You can still transfer up to 30 mons at a time instead of 6000.
1. Is this in conjunction with Nintendo’s online service?
2. Will our Pokemon be PURGED the minute Pokemon Home stops receiving our cold-hard cash?
they are not purged with bank.
After reading some more, do I need a freakin’ smartphone just to GTS-obtain version exclusives!?
Yep.
Do you guys not have smartphones?
No I don’t, because they’re expensive, even more so than actual consoles intended for video games. And I don’t have a high-paying job (or ANY job at the moment), and I still live at home with people who have no interest in investing in anything past your standard “for emergencies only” cell phone.
Now you know about my shitty personal life. But ignoring that (like a civil adult would), locking means of obtaining content behind a non-video game device is dickish. At this day and age, I’m gonna have make a queue of all the things I specifically need a smartphone for to get things done.
Considering that it was a reference and I didn’t ask about your personal life I’m gonna ignore that (like a civil adult would) and move on.
PS: I was in the same situation as you once, it’s nothing new for me.
Lol subscription service for trading pokemon. This is ubisoft/Activision/EA levels of greed
The old mons aren’t in the code. How can you trade them if you can’t get them.
Yall noticed Nintendo has been tight lip since the the Xbox Series X and the confirm of PS5. They up to something. Not one info on me AAA titles from.them.
Oh yeah up to something. I don’t know what. Now I hear PS5 will be unveiled in February.
Nintendo is up to something
Something mean
Something big
Something scary
Something fascinating
Something I don’t even know what is is yet. But I know they got a plan.
They have some sort of plan but they wont say what it is. People keep saying “Switch Pro”
But my mind is not on that. My mind is more focused on why Nintendo is tight lip on New AAA tittles of their own.
We know about Smash and Animal Crossing.
As much as I would like to think out of the box I can’t help but think that the big news will be about BoTW sequel, Bayonetta 3, MP4, NMH3 and perhaps the successor to Odyssey.
Yeah I’m sure they have some 3D Mario game in R&D. I also think this is the year for Pikmin 4. Every 4 years a leap year occurs. Pikmin 4 debuting this year makes sense. The Japanese are up to something. Something big, mean, scary, groundbreaking Something I dont even know what it is yet but I’m going to find out for my name ain’t Gruntilda
Y E S
Well I guess we will give this thing a go.
$16 for storage? Yeah, no thanks. I thought they might be a little more generous given that Switch Online is only $20 and Bank is like $5. Considering there’s only a handful of Pokemon I can trade up anyways I’m probably just not gonna bother.
PS4 and xbone online are like 60 dollars for 3 months. We got the good deal
That’s a flat out lie and a complete false equivalency regardless.
Remember when you just had to buy a link cable and find a friend with the other version? Now you gotta have 3 online subscriptions, 2 game systems, a dozen games, a smartphone(?), and a significant lack of respect for your own time.
In fairness, if there’s one universal constant amongst hardcore gamers, it is a lack of respect for our own time.
3 separate subscriptions required, a season pass, 2 different cash hungry versions of the exact same game still in 2020 that is a flat-out rushed holiday season downgrade every single generation in order to capitalise on that yearly low effort paycheck and sell back removed features at a later date e.g. National Dex, GTS, transferring, trade rooms, etc. despite them formerly being free in past gens.
Could GF get any greedier? Don’t answer that.
Forgot to mention the straight up lying in interviews and overall continuing to fall further and further out of touch with your fanbase with each passing game while adamantly pretending to know what they want. Thank god Masuda’s retiring. I don’t have high expectations for his replacement but he has seriously had to go since gen 6.
So not only is Sw/Sh the worst entries of the mainline games of Pokemon but Pokemon Home is the worst version of PokeBank. Least it took GameFreak 7 gens to fuck up with the games while it only took two systems to fuck up the storage system of Pokemon. I do like the fact GameFreak is showing just how shit I’ve always believed them to be.