![Expansion](https://images.nintendolife.com/8ce17d63d645d/expansion.900x.jpg)
The Expansion Passes for Pokémon Sword and Shield bring DLC content and new features to Game Freak's latest entry in the mainline Pokémon series. The two parts of the Expansion Pass feature a brand-new area each - The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra - and both will bring with them new items, features and most importantly new (and old!) Pokémon, too.
Below we've collected all the information concerning the new features coming in the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra Expansion Passes, as well as general information about release dates, prices and the previous-generation Pokémon returning. Read on to find the answers you're after:
What are the new areas from the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass?
Here's Nintendo's official blurb for each of the two new areas found in the Galar region. First, The Isle of Armor:
![Armor](https://images.nintendolife.com/ae5cb8011b972/armor.900x.jpg)
In The Isle of Armor expansion, you’ll head to The Isle of Armor, the stage of your new adventure in the Galar region. The Isle of Armor is a giant island full of environments not seen in Galar before—you'll find wave-swept beaches, forests, bogs, caves, and sand dunes!,There are also plenty of Pokémon that make this island their home, living freely amid the lush natural surroundings.,There’s even a dojo here that specializes in some very particular training styles! You and your Pokémon will take up an apprenticeship under the master of this dojo and train hard to become even stronger.
And second, The Crown Tundra:
![Tundra](https://images.nintendolife.com/23da2894c8324/tundra.900x.jpg)
The Crown Tundra expansion is set in the snow-swept realm of The Crown Tundra. See for yourself the beautiful scenery of this shining, silvery landscape! In this frigid area, with its jagged winter mountains, people live in small communities where they support and rely on one another.,A certain person will appoint you as the leader of their exploration team in The Crown Tundra. You’ll then be tasked with investigating the reaches of this frozen land. And remember the Pokémon Dens that you’ve only been able to glimpse during Max Raid Battles? Well, now you’ll be able to explore their full depths!
Are there any brand-spanking new Pokémon in the Sword & Shield Expansions?
Why, yes there are - a whole bunch of them. First, meet Kubfu and its two possible forms of its evolution Urshifu:
Kubfu
![Pokemon Kubfu 2x](https://images.nintendolife.com/ca791982e9bf1/pokemon-kubfu-2x.900x.jpg)
- Category: Wushu Pokémon
- Type: Fighting
- Height: 2'
- Weight: 26.5 lbs.
- Ability: Inner Focus
Kubfu will appear in The Isle of Armor. This Pokémon is hardworking and strives to train both its body and mind. It uses each defeat as motivation, training itself with even more vigor after a loss in order to grow stronger. It has an organ that produces “fighting energy” in its lower abdomen, and before heading into battle, Kubfu will increase this energy through unique breathing techniques and intense focus. Wild Kubfu live in mountainous areas far away from the Galar region, but it was once a species that called Galar its home. It’s noted in historical texts that this species used to head to uncharted lands with people as they set out to trade or explore. Records suggest that the Kubfu living in faraway mountains today may have descended from Kubfu that became naturalized to the distant lands they visited in their journeys.
Urshifu
(Single Strike Style)
- Category: Wushu Pokémon
- Type: Fighting/Dark
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 231.5 lbs.
- Ability: Unseen Fist
(Rapid Strike Style)
- Category: Wushu Pokémon
- Type: Fighting/Water
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 231.5 lbs.
- Ability: Unseen Fist
Kubfu will evolve into Urshifu after it has undergone sufficient training. It seems that Urshifu has two forms—a Single Strike Style and a Rapid Strike Style—and it appears that each form has different types as well. Urshifu in Single Strike Style form favor battling without holding anything back. When enraged, they will mercilessly attack an opponent until it is utterly defeated. A Single Strike Style Urshifu’s movements are often direct and involve rushing forward in a straight line. It will keep its distance from its opponents at first only to leap in close instantly to deliver a powerful blow. Urshifu in Rapid Strike Style form maintain a calm demeanor, observing their opponents and measuring their strength while dodging attacks. A Rapid Strike Style Urshifu will use flowing movements in battle to smoothly parry an opponent’s moves and then overwhelm the opponent with a flurry of rapid strikes.
Also say hello to Calyrex:
Calyrex
![Pokemon Calyrex 2x](https://images.nintendolife.com/9fbd73056d20b/pokemon-calyrex-2x.900x.jpg)
- Category: King Pokémon
- Type: Psychic/Grass
- Height: 3'7"
- Weight: 17 lbs.
- Ability: Unnerve
Trainers will encounter Calyrex in The Crown Tundra. This Pokémon ruled all of Galar in ancient times. Though it appears delicate and slight, its every move is filled with grace and dignity. It also has extremely high intelligence, and it’s said to see every past, present, and future event.
and more...
The Pokémon Company has also revealed two new Legendary Pokémon--Regielki and Regidrago--which bring with them new abilities, plus new Mythical Pokémon Zarude.
In addition to these, Gigantamax versions of the three fully evolved starters from Pokémon Sword and Shield (Rillaboom, Cinderace and Inteleon) will feature (we got a look at these in the March 2020 Nintendo Direct Mini), as well as regional forms of familiar Pokémon such as Galarian Slowpoke which you can catch right now by heading to Wedgehurst Station after downloading the 9th January 2020 update.
The above trailer also gave us a look at new Trainer outfits based on the game's cast of NPCs, new League Card designs, and a closer look at Kubfu, who serves as your partner on the Isle of Armor.
Are there any new returning Pokémon from previous generations?
Yes! The Pokémon Direct confirmed that over 200 'old' Pocket Monsters will be returning in the two new regions. There's no complete list of the returners for both expansions just yet (see below for the complete list of new and returning Pokémon in the Isle of Armor expansion), although you may have glimpsed some in the Pokémon Direct presentation.
Isle of Armor DLC Returning Pokémon - Complete List
Thanks to some datamining from @SciresM on Twitter, the full list of 140 new and returning Pokémon in the Isle of Armor expansion has been revealed. Click on the header to order them by National Pokédex number (default) or alphabetically:
National Pokédex Number | Returning Pokémon - Isle of Armor Expansion |
---|---|
001 | Bulbasaur |
002 | Ivysaur |
003 | Venusaur |
007 | Squirtle |
008 | Wartortle |
009 | Blastoise |
027 | Sandshrew |
028 | Sandslash |
039 | Jigglypuff |
040 | Wigglytuff |
054 | Psyduck |
055 | Golduck |
060 | Poliwag |
061 | Poliwhirl |
062 | Poliwrath |
063 | Abra |
064 | Kadabra |
065 | Alakazam |
072 | Tentacool |
073 | Tentacruel |
079 | Slowpoke |
080 | Slowbro |
081 | Magnemite |
082 | Magneton |
102 | Exeggcute |
103 | Exeggutor |
104 | Cubone |
105 | Marowak |
108 | Lickitung |
113 | Chansey |
114 | Tangela |
115 | Kangaskhan |
116 | Horsea |
117 | Seadra |
120 | Staryu |
121 | Starmie |
123 | Scyther |
127 | Pinsir |
128 | Tauros |
137 | Porygon |
150 | Mewtwo |
151 | Mew |
174 | Igglybuff |
183 | Marill |
184 | Azumarill |
186 | Politoed |
199 | Slowking |
206 | Dunsparce |
212 | Scizor |
214 | Heracross |
227 | Skarmory |
230 | Kingdra |
233 | Porygon2 |
241 | Miltank |
242 | Blissey |
251 | Celebi |
293 | Whismur |
294 | Loudred |
295 | Exploud |
298 | Azurill |
318 | Carvanha |
319 | Sharpedo |
385 | Jirachi |
403 | Shinx |
404 | Luxio |
405 | Luxray |
427 | Buneary |
428 | Lopunny |
440 | Happiny |
462 | Magnezone |
463 | Lickilicky |
465 | Tangrowth |
474 | Porygon-Z |
506 | Lillipup |
507 | Herdier |
508 | Stoutland |
543 | Venipede |
544 | Whirlipede |
545 | Scolipede |
548 | Petilil |
549 | Lilligant |
551 | Sandile |
552 | Krokorok |
553 | Krookodile |
570 | Zorua |
571 | Zoroark |
587 | Emolga |
590 | Foongus |
591 | Amoonguss |
619 | Mienfoo |
620 | Mienshao |
621 | Druddigon |
626 | Bouffalant |
636 | Larvesta |
637 | Volcarona |
638 | Cobalion |
639 | Terrakion |
640 | Virizion |
643 | Reshiram |
644 | Zekrom |
646 | Kyurem |
647 | Keldeo |
661 | Fletchling |
662 | Fletchinder |
663 | Talonflame |
690 | Skrelp (Pokémon Shield Isle of Armor Exclusive) |
691 | Dragalge (Pokémon Shield Isle of Armor Exclusive) |
692 | Clauncher (Pokémon Sword Isle of Armor Exclusive) |
693 | Clawitzer (Pokémon Sword Isle of Armor Exclusive) |
702 | Dedenne |
707 | Klefki |
722 | Rowlet |
723 | Dartrix |
724 | Decidueye |
725 | Litten |
726 | Torracat |
727 | Incineroar |
728 | Popplio |
729 | Brionne |
730 | Primarina |
744 | Rockruff |
745 | Lycanroc |
753 | Fomantis |
754 | Lurantis |
764 | Comfey |
769 | Sandygast |
770 | Palossand |
789 | Cosmog |
790 | Cosmoem |
791 | Solgaleo |
792 | Lunala |
800 | Necrozma |
801 | Magearna |
802 | Marshadow |
807 | Zeraora |
808 | Meltan |
809 | Melmetal |
891 | Kubfu (New) |
892 | Urshifu (New) |
893 | Zarude (New) |
Crown Tundra DLC Returning Pokémon - Complete List (TBA)
It has been confirmed that all Legendary Pokémon from past games are returning in the Crown Tundra DLC, and some are exclusive to a specific version of the game. We'll update this article with a full list when the information is available.
Are there any version-exclusive Pokémon or characters in the Expansions?
Yes. Nintendo has stated on Twitter that each version of the Expansion Pass will feature version-exclusive Pokémon and characters.
Currently, returning Pokémon Clauncher and Clawitzer are Pokémon Sword Isle of Armor exclusives, and Skrelp and Dragalge are Pokémon Shield Isle of Armor exclusives (thanks to Serebii). We'll update this with more information as it comes to light concerning Crown Tundra exclusives.
The rival Trainer you'll face depends on the version of the game you have. Pokémon Sword players will face Klara, a Poison-type specialist training at the dojo of Pokémon Master Mustard. Pokémon Shield players will come up against Avery a Psychic-type user also under Mustard's tutelage.
![PokemonDirect4](https://images.nintendolife.com/41b6a127077a3/pokemondirect4.900x.jpg)
What new features are included in the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Passes?
Each expansion will bring different new Pokémon, areas, features, items and moves that weren't previously available in Pokémon Sword and Shield. The information below comes from the official Pokémon Sword and Shield website:
Additional Features | The Isle of Armor | The Crown Tundra |
---|---|---|
New areas | Yes | Yes |
Kubfu and Urshifu | Yes | |
Calyrex | Yes | |
Gigantamax forms for Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon | Yes | |
New regional forms | Yes | Yes |
Pokémon that didn’t appear in Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield | Yes | Yes |
New Pokédexes | Yes | Yes |
New clothing items | Yes | Yes |
New Pokémon added to Max Raid Battles | Yes | Yes |
New items | Yes | |
New tutor moves | Yes | |
Restricted Sparring battle feature | Yes | |
New co-op play mode | Yes |
Here's a brief overview of the features:
- The new expansions will feature over 100 new items of clothing between them.
- In The Isle of Armor, you'll be able to find an Exp. Charm which is used to level up Pokémon.
- Brand new tutor moves will feature in The Isle of Armor expansion
- Restricted Sparring will enable Trainers Battles with Pokémon Type limitations and set Battle conditions.
- Explorable Pokémon Dens in The Crown Tundra will be home to Legendary Pokémon from previous Pokémon games.
- Players' Galar Pokédexes will be updated to reflect the new additions - both the Isle of Armor, and the Crown Tundra will also have their own Pokédexes.
- Both the Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra will feature Pokémon Dens just like in the Wild Area in the main game, although they'll feature Pokémon you won't find in the Wild Area. Max Raid Battles will be available in the ones emitting a shard of red light enabling a team of up to three players to battle a Dynamax Pokémon.
Do I need to buy the Expansion Pass to access the Max Raid Battles in the new areas?
No. Friends who don't have the Expansion Pass will still be able to join in these battles.
Do I need to buy the Expansion Pass to access the 200+ returning Pokémon from past generations?
No, not necessarily. Following a free update that will launch alongside the Expansion Passes, players of vanilla Pokémon Sword or Shield will be able to trade those Pokémon with players who have purchased the expansion and caught them all. Therefore, it will be entirely possible to get your hands on those new Pokémon via trading.
Players without the expansion will also be able to bring Pokémon over from past games using Pokémon Home, the service which launched in February 2020 (as long as those Pokémon feature in Pokémon Sword and Shield or its expansions).
Do I need to have finished the main game to access the Expansion Pass content?
No, you can access the new content as soon as you reach the game's Wild Area.
Initial reports that the Expansion Pass features 'level scaling' that matches its difficulty to the Pokémon in your party were slightly inaccurate - it appears that the content scales to the Gym Badges you've earned rather than the level of your Pokémon party.
Will there be an 'Ultra' version of Pokémon Sword and Shield?
From the way the designers discussed the Expansion Passes in the announcement, these expansions will take the place of the more traditional updated 'third' versions we've seen in previous generations.
When is the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass launching?
Part 1 of the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass - The Isle of Armor - released on 17th June 2020.
Part 2 - The Crown Tundra - is sceduled for release on 22nd October 2020 or (23rd October in Europe).
How much does the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass cost?
Parts 1 and 2 of the Expansion Pass are purchased together for £26.99 / $29.99.
Keep in mind that you'll need to purchase the corresponding pass according to which copy of the game you own. If you own both games and want to access the new areas in both, that means buying both the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass and the Pokémon Shield Expansion pass.
The safest way to ensure you get the correct one is to buy it through the in-game menus while playing your copy, but be careful to purchase the correct Expansion if you're getting it through the eShop directly - Nintendo doesn't appear to be issuing refunds if you buy the wrong one.
Those who pre-purchased before the Pass arrived received an early purchase bonus of a Pikachu uniform and an Eevee uniform (see below). If you bought the Expansion Pass before 31st August you could receive Leon's outfit as a bonus.
The Nintendo UK Official Store has a deal on the Expansion Pass which includes a 50% discount on starter Pokémon soft toys or a starter mug if you purchase them at the same time.
![Early Purchase Bonus Uniforms](https://images.nintendolife.com/4ce89516f42a4/early-purchase-bonus-uniforms.900x.jpg)
Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass Trailers
The Pokémon Direct Presentation 9th January 2020
Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass Announcement Trailer
The Isle of Armor Release Date Announcement Trailer
The Crown Tundra Release Date Announcement Trailer
We'll update this guide with more information as we get it.
[source swordshield.pokemon.com]
Comments 129
Urshifu looked WOW ! 😀
I'm gonna make the Chibi muscle version once i get the right time. 😁
All I gotta say is this immediately made me not wanna play Pokémon Shield anymore now.
Not huge on DLC, especially when huge chunks of story and more ways to play are locked behind it. And introducing those characters that you fight alongside with into the main game to tape the next chapter to it is just... Bitter.
Thank you, NL for this. Hopefully, it will keep some of the toddlers quiet, and reduce the nonsense every time GF announces something.
Asking for people's opinions:
Do you think there will be paid DLC Rounds 2 and 3 so that all of the Pokemon can be in Sword and Shield eventually?
Hype Level: Over 9000
Crossing fingers for a physical release of these DLC+Base game, but highly doubt it. I'm sure they already realized they can get a lot more money by selling base game + Expansion instead of the old method of letting people skip a base mainline release to only buy the upgraded version.
@Franz Doubt it. DLC works great but sooner or later you just need to sell a new game to recapture hype.
Just look at how every fighting game ends up doing business: release a fighter pack or two, then eventually release the next main entry with a new cut-down roster and start the whole fighter pack cycle all over again.
Urshifu is literally Ryu from street fighter's fursona and I love it
Cool. I don’t mind paying for dlc like this.
Calyrex looks pretty majestic... except for those dangling noodle legs. I'm guessing it's based on a rabbit, but those legs look silly from that angle.
Also... it's ability is Unnerve? That's it? Thought it would get a more appropriate or useful ability like Queenly Majesty.
So, folks that bought the 2-in-1 edition will have to fork out for 2 passes? I guess I'll pass :/
Honestly this is a good move from them imho. It will actually end up being cheaper this generation compared to the old way of having an "definitive 3rd/ultra/etc version".
Instead of paying $60 for Sword or Shield then another $60 for Ultra Sword or Ultra Shield, a total of $120, you only pay $60 for the base game and an extra $30 for the Pass, a total of $90. You save $30 over the old way.
Also not to mention, no need to use a new save like the previous way.
Soon Pokémon are gonna become DLC too if they aren't already just wait for it, this games has less content than Sun and Moon which were 40 and had everything yet this ones that cost 60 and now are charging 30 more without mentioning the Pokémon Home I wonder what the hardcore fans are gonna say to defend this nonsense
Something to add to the article. According to the official Pokémon website, Kubfu will evolve into either form of Urshifu depending on the choices the trainer makes.
At least the Crown Tundra is creepy looking. The SwSh games need this.
Sounds cool!
Now, to all those people that love physical only copies... tell me, how do you feel having an incomplete cartridge that will be missing the 200+ Pokémon and the DLC area? Lol
@Tharsman That's true. I just wish they would get out of the idea that they must release a new game every year. (I know, capitalism.) This way, they could take more time making a new mainline game. I haven't put a lot of thought into it yet, but I think I'll be okay with 2 or 3 rounds of DLCs as long as all Pokemon make it in eventually. At the same time, maybe it's just me. I'm not sure if most Pokefans are willing to fork up $30 or however much just for more Pokemon. Hmm.
£20 for 5 Smash characters and stages
£26 for 200 Pokémon and 2 new areas to explore together with new stories to unfold.
Seems pretty reasonable to me.
I'm glad that DLC is replacing the 3rd versions. I'll check it out once both content packs are released.
Good to see Gamefreak add 200 returning Pokemon to Sword/Shield.
These packs look great and will be a great expansion to the already great games that are Pokemon sword and shield, so much time and effort is going into all this.
I am glad that they decided to release an expansion pass instead of an entirely new ultra game, it allows them to really get creative with this one. I really like the new wild area like sections! This was the right move to get everybody back on board, but I wished they announced this before launch instead of a month and a half later to ease the national dex outrage. Even a vague statement that they would add more Pokemon after release would have been enough...
I wish they had just done traditional routes instead of the 3D stuff, I was not a fan of the wild area at all. I doubt there will be much content in terms of actual "campaign" sadly. At best I'm expecting something around the length of the postgame episode in main game which took all of 1,5 hours. It was pretty disappointing that they didn't include the option to remove the exp.share, that would make the game so much better in my eyes.
@Franz
DLC replacing 3rd versions essentially means Pokemon will never be annualized ever again.
Not that Pokemon was ever truly annualized - there have always been gap years, with 2015 being the most recent - but no longer having the 3rd versions will result in more gap years.
Awesome news 😁 really great direct & well done on the Pokemon company's side. Glad to see dlc instead of ultra versions of the game. Will save some money this way & not have to hassle in raising a team all over again. All for the hard work they're putting into this
@Franz I actually have a feeling we are not going to get a game this year.
Might be wrong, but should they be planning a Pearl/Diamond remake, marketing would had started today, even if just with a logo. I think this DLC is all we get this year, with Part 2 likely not arriving until late in the year. Next year, we likely get Pearl/Diamond, though.
I don't count Mystery Dungeon (BUT cant wait for it) as a yearly release since that is done by a different studio. It will likely be the only new Pokemon cart on shelves this year. Unless we also get a cart release of the DLC (I have both sword and shield and would buy both again if there was a physical copy that had the DLC, if only to save space on my Switch.)
As for forking $30, confused with your phrasing. I gladly pay that for more story content and new areas to go and catch Pokemon myself at (its a lot more fun than just trading them.) But if someone only care about the new Pokemanz themselves, you can always get them all through trade.
@Franz so far Nintendo’s big Paid Expansion Passes with added story tend to be one-and-done (albeit released in waves), as with Breath of the Wild, Xenoblade 2 and Spla2n. Only the free DLCs (Mario Tennis, Mario Odyssey, Kirby Star Allies) keep drip-feeding bonus functionality, but they’re usually not story-heavy.
Then again, Mario Kart 8 on Wii U had 2 DLC packs that gave you the choice between buying together or individually, as did New Super Mario 2 on 3DS, Smash (4 and Ultimate) lets you pick and choose or go for Season Pass, and the 3DS Fire Emblems were heavy on micro-transactional add-ons. Though again, those were all arguably non-essential add-Ons, and not significant extra stories.
@Tharsman I expect an "ultimate" boxed bundle of Sw/Sh including a download code for the DLC simply because of A) Japanese box collectors, and B) Holiday marketing push is easier with physical goods. Why have a Pikachu Macy's parade balloon without a new game in Walmart?
It'll just be a bundle, but I'd be surprised if they don't do it - especially since the full content will be releasing them. I'd guess maybe something they "announce" at E3, quietly during Treehouse presentations of the DLC, or in the Sept/Oct pre-Holiday direct. Not of interest to most of us here, but business-wise, useful.
Knowing they're going to have the large majority of the mons back in when this DLC is over with, it'd be pretty dumb if there wasn't one more update that added the remaining 300 or so after that.
That being said, super excited that we're gonna have about 600 of the ~900. 2/3 is better than the ~1/3 we had before.
So that's why no complete pokédex, let's make them pay extra for pokémon through the DLC!
@nintykid
"Do I need to buy the Expansion Pass to access the 200+ returning Pokémon from past generations?
No."
Read the article.
@Tharsman Sorry for the confusion. Yes, $30 for both story and new areas with ability to catch Pokemon. (Assuming DLCs in the future will remain this price.) I know they're a company and wish to make as much money, but I just don't feel right about limiting other players who don't purchase the DLC from getting the additional Pokemon only through trade.
I think this is pretty cool actually. All the Pokémon will be obtainable through trading, so it doesn't feel too scummy to me.
@MrTanuki Totaly agree, well said.
@Meckus why would you get the 2-in-1 pack unless you had a lot of money to burn? You’re paying $120 for essentially the same game twice with very minor differences.
@nintykid nobody is paying extra for those Pokémon unless they don’t pay any attention, considering it’s already been made very clear the Pokémon are all being added in a FREE update.
Zorua is back...and it’s payday.
I guess it’s time for Shield
@westman98 Someone still has to buy it, if you don't have a friend to trade with or whatever then you're still stuck.
@Franz I dont know, they are giving players the chance to get the characters via trading and that's more than others developers would do. Heck, if they released an Ultra game, only those with the new cart could get the new pokemons that get added, this is a step above the way they treated everyone in the past.
As for making money, its not like this content is developed in an evening. They need to pay the workforce that is spending all year developing this content instead of working on the next title, or would you prefer if they just made the DLC free but started selling BP piles for real money on the eshop instead?
@ShadJV Between preorder discounts and the 2-in-1 edition price, it was actually a lot lower than the 120$ you mentioned, with the added bonus of having the steelbook. By almost the same, I mean it was about 80-90$. I guess my question is, why not a 2-in-1 pass as well?
Well I know for a fact Squirtle and Bulbasaur will be in the DLC since you can clearly see them and their gigantimax forms in the video lol.
If someone pays for it and trades it with you it is not FREE!
Not like 1 person is going to buy it and give it to the entire community. Depending on their situation - this is still behind a pay wall for tons of fans.
@NEStalgia "I expect an "ultimate" boxed bundle of Sw/Sh including a download code"
If they just add a download code, it is all the same for me. I don't want to have to upgrade my switch memory yet again, nor do i want to keep deleting stuff.
Sweet, Nidoran is in it, I can finally get my Nidoking!
@Meckus I split a 2-in-1 edition with a friend and we got no discounts, where did you purchase yours?? Either way, to answer your question, the 2-in-1 digital pack was the same price as buying individually, so it’d be irrelevant to have these as 2-in-1; they’re digital only. Nintendo doesn’t offer discounts for their 2-in-1 packs, any discounts would come from retailers.
Sigh
And everyone's fine with it. They said that it was too much work, when in truth it was more a case of them deciding to hold stuff back so they could sell it as dlc later on. Imagine if they said that the reason the dex is incomplete was because they wanted to charge more for the rest down the line. I wonder what the reaction would have been then...
@ShadJV Store in Portugal, all the stores do big pre order discounts here.
I found the base game so underwhelming and low quality (not just graphically, but also graphically) that paying for more of it is not appealing.
Besides, I swapped it for Dragon Quest XI S so unless I buy it again I wouldn’t be able to get it without rebuying.
The Mystery Dungeon game looks quite interesting though. I’ll give the demo a bash to see how it plays.
@Kalmaro
"Someone still has to buy to trade with" is not nearly the same as "You must buy it to access it".
I believe importing from Pokemon Home works as well.
@Franz Oh another thing i forgot to mention earlier: with Pokemon Home you will be able to transfer these 200+ pokemon to switch if you got them on any previous game, even Pokemon Go.
@westman98 You still have to pay for home (I think), and if you don't have someone who has the Pokémon you want you're still out of luck.
Either way you look at it, the Pokémon are behind a pay wall (assuming you have to pay for Pokémon home, I'm sure you do). It's just a matter of how much you have to pay.
@Old-Red 𝙄𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙭 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚.
I have a feeling there would have been riots.
Just take my money now Nintendo. Can't wait to hear more about the coop. More of this for Pokémon pkease.
@Kalmaro
Wouldn't that still be the case if the National Dex was in the game in the first place? You would either still have to pay for Home/Bank to transfer from older Pokemon entries or trade from someone else who bought a hypothetical Ultra Sword/Shield (which that other person had to pay for).
Not to mention that version-exclusive Pokemon have always existed since the beginning, which means either you or someone else had to buy the other version.
There is a paywall everywhere if you look hard enough.
@Franz I wil probably spend the $30 for it but only after getting Animal Crossing New Horizons
@westman98 Well yeah, it wasn't always like that though. You used to be able just to carry things over yourself without having to pay extra. They just won't let you do that anymore and it's a shame.
If course, I'm not sure how they'd get info from the 3ds to the switch. Probably through a wireless connection, I suppose.
@Kalmaro It said today in the direct that Home is a paid subscription.
@Tharsman Yeah, the bundle changes neither the price (probably) nor the storage required. I just presume they'll do it for the holiday retail/promotional aspect. It'll sell better if it can be a complete product to buy. I suppose it could include a slight discount (Get the full game and the DLC pack for $84.99 rather than $60+ 30 or something like that.
@MrTanuki Actually, at least from the Pokemon itself, this game has been datamined and code has been examined to show there's a lot more pokemon than what was available. If you have a modded Switch, there's mods made to put them back in the game....
@itslukec Thought so, I had to read about the direct since I'm working, thanks.
@Kalmaro
No doubt the pre-Bank era was definitely better in that regard.
Cheeky money grabbing... DLCs are good after some longer time to refresh the original game NOT to add something that should have been included in the first place...
step 1. LAUNCH media-core game
step 2. improve and add lacking content with PAID DLCs...
The game has only recently premiered...
PASS.
@tgchan Overall I agree with you, but not so much on the timing aspect. We're talking about a DLC that will be finished a year after the core game. Nobody sells DLC multiple years later other than fighting games. And FF XV. But that was a total trainwreck from the start.
Still, I'm not a fan of the business model of releasing a core game, then completing it with DLC in general.
@NEStalgia you're right. Sorry I haven't read about the scheduled date.
I just hate when devs talk about PAID DLCs a short while after a premiere...
@Meckus there you have it. Nintendo doesn’t do discounts like that on their games, it was the store that gave you a discount. There’s no point for Nintendo to do a digital double pack on the DLC because it would be the same price anyways. The only reason they had a digital double pack for the games was because they included a couple of free Pokémon. The price was identical to buying them individually.
Remember when they said there won't be more pokemon added in an update? And yet here we are (and before someone says that it's DLC and not update - with DLC you can catch them, but you can obtain all the pokemon introduced by it without DLC by trading)
Not gonna lie, vehemently saying that the old Pokemon won't come back, not even in updates and giving a myriad of reasons for it, from balancing to "focusing on the new ones"...
...only to announce a season pass where exactly those mons get reimplemented xD
Holy Moly....
@PewnyPL it's DLC administered through an update, someone still has to buy the expansion and if you don't have anyone to trade with, you have to buy it. Not everyone has someone to trade with or can rely on having a stable connection all the time.
@Einherjar It's like they were lying to us...
@Kalmaro Oh I'm aware. Although Pokemon Home is a thing that's coming too.
And I'm not bashing the DLC per se, I own the game and likely will buy the DLC myself. It's just that, my problem with the whole SwSh stuff is not that pokemon were cut, or worse graphics than they could do. My main problem is the fact they are just lying to us about stuff.
@BrandonGiesing your math sucks. The original Pokémon games were cheaper on 3DS.
...I see no difference between Calyrex and this thing:
https://combineoverwiki.net/images/9/97/Alien_Controller2.jpg
@Kalmaro You mean like they said that they made the new models from scratch, only to backpadel and say they imported them but the software borked?
All jokes aside though, i wouldn't go so far as to say they actively, malevolently lied.
But at this point, it's rather clear that this project has been majorly mishandled on several fronts.
And that they now charge money for stuff that could have (and should have?) been in the base game instead of making it a free update to save face...well, that's most certainly due to its still pretty good sales ¯(ツ)/¯
The message the community sent was "You can do everything you want, we buy it anyways", which is, in the long run, all but healthy.
I have no horse in this race regardless. I've quit this series long ago due to all its event shenanigans that never happened around here anyways.
And from this "outsider perspective", this project just looks ridiculous...
@Kalmaro @Einherjar Nah, not lying. If anything the introduction of this in this manner after saying over and over it's not going to happen is kind of proof the DLC wasn't "planned content stripped out to sell it later"....they're really doing everything by the seat of their pants and making up the next step as they go... Whether fans take credit for "see, we made them backtrack with our protest!" or whether they see it as a slap in the face of selling them something that they were upset wasn't included to begin with is yet to be seen I guess.
@Einherjar "...only to announce a season pass where exactly those mons get reimplemented xD"
A big chunk of those might get nerfs or buffs in this version, though. IF that happens, then the whole balancing thing would be valid.
Pokemon fans need to decide now (and vote with their wallet) if they want more of this with future games. If you guys want to be nickel and dime'd then buy this but here is your chance to put your foot down and reject DLC in this franchise.
@NEStalgia I dunno, they were the ones acting like they had to make cuts in order to keep up the game's quality and even make it better.
So far, I am not seeing evidence that they improved things so much, and now we're getting the Pokémon anyway but we have to pay for it or hope someone else already has... Just seems pretty scummy.
@NEStalgia @Kalmaro
Ayup, that's pretty much the only positive about this. This was most definitely no DLC scam by any means.
But as i said above, if they really wanted to save face, that stuff would have been a (partly) free update.
Oh well, 25 bucks isn't going to break the bank and everyone is free to shell it out if they enjoy the game.
@Tharsman
Balancing over 200 mons you're going to inject into an existing roster you can't touch to keep it working for those not buying the season pass...yeah, that would require some heavy lifting to say the least.
Based on what we've seen so far, i have my doubts but i'm gladly proven wrong on this one.
And then again, Pokemon is no fighting game, it was never truly balanced to the point of "everyone has a chance if played right".
It's just the nature of a purely number crunching JRPG really.
So as far as i'm concerned, that explanation has always been kinda wonky to begin with,
But again, i have no horse in this race, i'm happy if it makes people happy, i just know that i'm glad i got out of the franchise sooner rather than later.
The expansions cost 60$ in total so even if we are not getting third versions this is basically the same. Don't know how to feel about this, on one hand I'm glad I won't have to wait for a third version but on another GF is giving us DLC for content that should already have been in the game. Anyway this means Pokémon Shield will come home eventually
@MuhBael The expansions cost $30 total, not $60.
Real quick, I'd like to mention that, including the three new legendaries, the two new Regis, and the three Bird Trio-lookin mons, we have about 70% of the National dex in now with the June and Fall updates. Without these expansions, it was abt. 44% (again, counting the new mons)
Just give me Absol.
Galarian forms of articuno, moltres and zapdos look amazing, also I'm really hoping they put dragonite in the game
People that throw the word “entitlement” round when people don’t just gobble up paid DLC are always the most entitled of the bunch. Like everyone should be as brainwashed as them.
So much is wrong with how Pokemon Games have gone about with business and they are getting worse....
I'm ok with the price and the DLC looks nice. Would like it if they improved the general performance of the game though.
Am wondering how much storage space we'll need for the DLC as space on my SD card is getting low.
When they dont answer about will there be a ultra shield with just a yes or a no. They're really saying that there will be in the future. DLC is just there for now.
@BrandonGiesing $60? Wow! I musta been hallucinating when I bought all those pokemon games for the DS and 3DS for $40.
@DFaceG_Rebooted what's more, all those pokemon can actually be caught (divided over the two games, but still). That's more than the regional dex of any pokemon game ever contained.
@Franz If we get another 200 or so it would be damn close. I think we will get a wave 2. Keep the game alive and making money and move the franchise to a 2 year schedule.
@BrandonGiesing Except that 3DS games started at $40, meaning after you buy both you shelled out $80, compared to the now comparative of $90. I get what you're saying and no doubt SwSh are higher level games than the 3DS Pokemon games, it's still more expensive for the generation compared to others, no matter how you look at it.
@Tempestryke You completely missed my point, I was saying if they continued doing 3rd games this generation it would've been more expensive.
Yes the old games are cheaper but that has nothing to do with the point I'm making, I'm just saying them switching to DLC now would be cheaper than if they kept doing 3rd games in this specific generation if they followed the same pattern they always have.
@Lemonyoshi Well yeah, the previous generations are cheaper still but my point wasn't "this is cheaper than last gen", my point is "this is cheaper than if they still did the same thing as last gen using this gen's prices".
It's a more expensive generation sure but it could be an even more expensive one if they did a 3rd fully priced separate game instead of switching to a more modern DLC delivery method for the same content.
@Snakesglowcaps As I told the other person above, you missed the point. I never was saying that this would be cheaper than previous generations, I'm just saying this is cheaper than if they followed the same methods they have since Gen 1 of releasing a 3rd game in this specific generation.
The new method is the cheaper way for this specific generation, not the cheapest games overall.
@BrandonGiesing ok then yes we agree. I believe game freak did this because they were worried people wouldn’t be down to buy a $60($80 Canadian) game again.
This is fantastic! Game Freak has finally proved they can learn! I'm completely sold - in fact, I immediately pre-purchased the DLC for Shield.
I was so angry with them when they released Pokemon Ultra Rehash a couple years ago. I would have been extremely upset if they continued that nonsense with Sw/Sh. The reason it was okay on DS titles and earlier was because that was their only option to release new content. But now, there is no excuse to do it that way in my opinion!
This is a great direction for Pokemon and GF to go and I am 100% behind it for now. This expansion pass looks just as meaty as the ones for FE3H, BotW and Xenoblade 2. If it is comparable to those, I'm all for it!
If it's some 30 minute and done adventure, then I will change my mind. But I really don't think that's gonna be the case. I love Pokemon Shield and this DLC looks great!
I couldn't believe when I saw the dlc isn't free... After delivering half a game for 60 bucks, they had the courage to charge for the dlc... Pokémon was dead to me after wasting money on Sword and for a short moment they almost won me back.
Enjoyed the direct. I've never had Pokemon bank - any ideas if Pokemon home is included in the cost of the expansion pass?
Bit miffed if have to buy it separately...
Man this looks great, this is definitely what an expansion should be. Really enjoyed the game, and glad to see it’s being supported so well.
I was sold the second they said this is a continuation while using my same save data. Sorry, but one thing I hated about the old third versions/sequels was the requirement to start the story over from the beginning just for a couple minor updated features and pokemon which I paid the full price of a game for. This means no trudging through the full story again for me or my kids. Just pay for a meaty 2 part expansion pass and keep going.
So if you go online you are shown them separately but I was told on twitter by someone from Switch eShop you get both? Is this true.
Not thrilled about having to pay for 2 expansions if I wanna use em on both games..
Anyone else noticed Calyrex's collar is printed with Triforces?
“Paywall”
“Bitter”
“Enraged”
“Disappointed”
“Pokémon should be ashamed.”
That’s all I keep reading from Pokémon comments all day. Frankly, I’d much rather they do this than make a “new game with a twist” like they’ve done since pretty much forever. Some people have gotten to the point where you’re just not gonna be happy with anything Pokémon does. If that’s the case, maybe it’s time to just move on to other gaming adventures.
As for me, I like what I saw. I really enjoyed the wild area, and since the expansions are done the same way, I’m sold.
I'm actually digging the content here. The new Pokemon look great (especially Urshifu), the new zones look gorgeous and fun, the new rivals and characters are neat. And soon we will have 600/890 Pokemon in the game. Sure all 890 would be best but 600 is still impressive
And rest assured, people will fall for and defend this continued cashgrab of a tired brand's latest, unfinished entry.
And if you can't seduce Sonia, there's nothing there worthwhile.
@BrandonGiesing
Ah yeah, for the non-existent 60 dollar prior games. And its still $30 a pop for those who want both, which is how much if they're buying them with the game? $120! As opppsed to $80. Or more specifically $40 or less if you just wait for the final version/ can find it used.
Very excited about this. If the new and returning PM were locked to this then yeah i could understand the anger but as long as someone is willing to trade them over your fine if you don't want to buy this. Sounds like a fair amount of new content and better then having to buy a "new" edition of the games.
@Kriven what do you mean?! It’s an excellent future! Instead of a new updated version, we’re getting it as an update to our current game! Amazing! Y’all just mad because you’re not getting a box to add to your dusty shelves.
@Dreamcast2Turbo You’re just mad because you bought a physical copy that is essentially obsolete at this point. This is an amazing thing. Why make another version when you can just update the current game I already own. If it bothers you that much make 2 custom cases for DLC so you can put them up on your dusty shelves with all the other cases.
@Heavyarms55 exactly! Some people on here are just mad because their Physical copies are now obsolete. This is how you do DLC. This is the future! Get used to it!
I'm pretty happy with this expansion and paid DLC. It's pretty sweet that you can still get the same pokemon as everyone else, whether you pay for the expansion or not.
@cmk8 I understood Pokemon Home to be a paid service, separate from the Expansion and from Switch Online memberships.
It is an additional service which will likely cost roughly the same as Pokemon Bank, which I think is only around 5 bucks a year.
@Kalmaro plesse don't take offense as I know Internet discussions can be easily misunderstood ... if you want the Pokemon in the expansion, but have no one to trade with, couldn't you just pay for the expansion yourself? If money is an issue, why not save up for it until you can afford it?
@adam9431 Yo!
I can buy the expansions. My issue was that you have older Pokémon locked behind the expansion, which means they are behind a pay wall.
I just found that to be very disappointing that you have to pay extra to use Pokémon that have been around already unless you have a friend or an older game that you can transfer Pokémon from and Pokémon Home
Ah I see. Well, i already pre purchased the expansion (Sword and Shield version) so i will be happy to send pokemon over to whoever
@adam9431 That's really nice of you! I'm sure a lot of people will appreciate that.
@Benji80 I do rember mentioning it, probably on the article talking about Wargroove.
@Franz based on the success we might get 1 more DLC in 2021 in June (this is what I personally believe) In the meanwhile they are working on remakes for 2021 as well. This way they will keep the pokemon hype/journey going with players having a new adventure every 6 months
Not gonna lie, when I was looking at that concept art and that pre-rendered cinematic I was getting really hyped and excited. It felt like a new gripping adventure and the amount of content really tells me that Gamefreak is tying their best. Then I saw the in game graphics and gameplay and my hype was brought crashing down to reality.
I never got Sw/Sh. I stopped playing Pokémon after ORAS (no battle frontier REALLY dampened my spirits ngl) and it didn’t really have anything to hook me. Unfortunately this DLC doesn’t change my mind. I can just never get that feeling out my head that says “This could have been spectacular.” And it won’t let go. I hope everyone enjoys it, I was just wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me on this.
@adam9431 thank you.
I wonder if they're going to add any new Pokémon but are just keeping it quiet? They were good at not spoiling everything this gen like they did for Sun & Moon and they have already shown a new Galarian form, it would be weird if that was the only one.
But also Klara's hair ribbon looks a lot like a butterfly/moth, but not much like an existing butterfly/moth Pokemon.
Looks great! Haven't picked up Sword or Shield yet but getting very tempted. Would love a collection with the expansion pass included.
i can still get those pokemon without getting the season pass? sweet, i'll just youtube the story.
@DarkLloyd Yep, either get a friend to do the work for you or buy Pokémon home
@Kalmaro always a random chance i'll come across it via trade or whichever
So I have a question for the community. So I had purchased the expansion pack for Pokémon Shield and I was curious about how it works. I was thinking about sending my Pokémon into Pokémon Home and restarting my game just so I can go through the entire storyline straight through. If I restart my game will that also delete the expansion pass too or is it saved in the switch console? I want to be sure I don’t mess with it. Please help!
Wow this is trash, I have the shield version. They really should’ve made it so that both versions could buy both parts 😡
Even though I’m excited for its release
I picked up the expansion pass for £19.85 from Shopto in the UK. A nice little saving on the eshop price.
Legit screamed when I saw B&W's legendries were on that list...
Now this is just insulting. Instead of getting back spinda, we get another new panda that does tai chi. I just want my son back, not a kung fu panda knock-off.
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