
For many gamers, the unveiling of an upcoming game or feature is truly an exciting time. Waiting for the next big release creates feelings of anticipation unmatched in the industry. For some, one of these times was during the lead up to Pokémon Bank. The ability to transfer Pokémon from previous games and battle and train with them in a full three-dimensional world was breathtaking. Upon release however, the dream was not yet a reality. Now, nearly a month after its scheduled release, there may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel.
Pokémon Bank, a companion application for Pokémon X & Y that allows trainers to store Pokémon in an online cloud, is now once again available on the Nintendo eShop in Japan. According to the @tugaaaru Twitter account, the feature is once again available on the Japanese eShop. For many North American and European gamers, such as myself, there is still no sign of when the feature will be reintroduced in our respective markets.
According to the @tugaaaru Twitter account, the feature is once again available on the Japanese eShop:
https://twitter.com/tugaaaru/statuses/425748254551052288
@CybertronVGC, a two time Pokemon video game national champion, has followed up the post with this on his main account:
https://twitter.com/CybertronVGC/statuses/425774929296891904
Pokémon Bank was released on 25th December in Japan and scheduled to be released on 27th December in North America and Europe. Following an overwhelming amount of server issues, Nintendo was forced to remove the application from the Japanese eShop and delay the release in North America and Europe. Since the delay, Nintendo has only provided fans with a small amount of information as to when the feature will make its return.
Nintendo of America, for its part, has officially confirmed via Twitter that Pokemon Bank has launched in "certain Asian countries". It also added to stay tuned for updates in relation to availability in North America, Europe, and other regions. Hopefully the wait for other regions will be relatively short.
https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/statuses/425815499956445184
https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/statuses/425815578436059136
Pokémon Bank allowed trainers to maintain a vast storage system of Pokémon and simplify the process of transferring Pokémon between different games. Users could subscribe to the service for approximately $5 USD following a 30 day free-trial and have full access to their library of Pokémon. Trainers who were lucky enough to access Pokémon Bank upon release will also have their 30 day free-trial reset upon re-release.
Pokémon Bank also planned to introduce the feature of Poké Transporter, allowing trainers to transfer Pokémon from Black & White and Black 2 & White 2 into Pokémon X & Y. This separate application was perhaps one that excited most trainers, allowing Pokémon from older generations to be used and introduced into the Pokémon X & Y ecosystem.
In addition, users of Pokémon Bank were also planned to be given an event Pokémon - Celebi. Any user who accessed the service before 20th September, 2014 would be given this special Pokémon. Following the delay however, it is still unclear what Nintendo and Game Freak plan to do in relation to this promotion.
With no release in sight for North America and Europe, are you still anticipating the release of Pokémon Bank? Let us know in the comments.
[source twitter.com, via twitter.com]
Comments 31
Prediction: A Nintendo Direct will hopefully be coming soon to Europe, which will shed light on this matter.
I would say they will have it out within the next two weeks, in the other territories.
I cannot wait for this!!!
I hope they fixed the hacked pokemon problem...one of the reasons they made Poke Bank..
edit: Yeah a Nintendo Direct this or next week is pretty obvious. Though they might delay it if they changed their strategy after this weeks drama.
Finally some good news. Now then, a best-case-scenario would see the Pokébank released in western countries as was originally supposed to be, but, even without dreaming, the Bank being available again in Japan already means more past-gen Pokémon available via Wonder Trade, which in turn got more interesting ever since last Christmas. So yeah, this is good news already.
Looking back at 2013 there was a Direct in every month , so judging by last years record , we should be getting a New Direct any day soon , January 2013 the Direct was on the 23rd .
@arronishere
Yup.
OH JEEZ
The "best case scenario" I mentioned is ACTUALLY POSSIBLE
I realized just now the eShop will be updated tomorrow--wait a minute, no, the Nintendo Download article didn't mention the Bank.
But even then, Nintendo rereleased the Bank in Japan without announcing it...
I don't know, really...
Still need to transfer alot of my pokemon from diamond to white. :S
I best do it now so it will be a smooth transfer when it does get released.
I would bank on it making the evolution to the EU by the end of the month.
Please hurry, Nintendo! I want my Shiny Dragonite on my Y game!
@WYLD-WOO
Please leave such puns to the NL staff
I'm assuming the free trial period will be extended.
Ugh... this is madness!!! Poke bank is released twice in Japan yet not in NA or Europe? C'mon Nintendo!
probably be released soon or nintendo of america wouldn't have mentioned it at all so settle down
Let's keep the North Americans and Euros guessing on the release haha xd.
yeah why release it only in one country instead of just doing a wide release you already kept ppl waiting jeez but then again im already getting some of those pokebank mons by trade xD
One small step for Pokémon,
One giant leap for Pokémon Bank.
Quick refresher - Pokebank launched in Japan and crashed the entire network b/c so many people were waiting for it. Nintendo wont launch in the US and EU until this has been up and running for a few days without crashing anything. Its probably why they didn't announce it, less load on their system. If they're smart they'll turn it on in the US 3AM Sunday and make an anmouncement Monday while people are in work and schooo.
Like @rjejr said, I imagine they're gonna wait in the West and make sure it works this time. I'm not sure why everyone wants them to rush it. Do you really want a broken app?
Every morning, I eagerly await news on the release of Pokemon Bank. Every morning I am disappoint.
I hope this happens soon. I want to replay Pokemon Y, but don't want to lose my amazing team.
Been checking the news every day for a post related to this. I've got 400+ Pokemon waiting!
@DarkKirby This is so good.
While I've actually been enjoying the interesting trading environment that this debacle has created, it's getting more and more ridiculous that Pokemon Bank hasn't been released.
I read on serebii.net that nintendo patched the pokébank app to cut down the number of connections it has to make to start up, i'm terribly sorry, but requiring "multiple connections to the Nintendo network ID server, e-shop server ans the pokémon bank server" and only cutting it down to the NNID-server and bank server when everything collapsed around their ears... that's crummy planning and writing...
That being said, i'm glad pokébank is coming soon(ish), when i hold my white/white2 cartridge close to my ear i can hear the rejoicing of my cherished pokémon, either that or i need to cut down on the coffee...
lets hope it comes to america REAL soon!!!!!
Japan, Japan, Japan. When something gets released in NA, it's more than "It's about time" rather than "OMG what a surprise" like it is in Japan. Japan gets everything way before the rest of the world some way or another and it is very sickening. Why is it so difficult to release a game internationally if it's digital? Steam releases their games in all sorts of languages at the same exact time one language is released.
Seriously, all of the recent news that we hear is Japanese-exclusive, and we are not surprised to see news six months to a year later that it's finally coming here? Especially with Virtual Console games which:
A. Have already been translated.
B. Have already been given a rating.
C. Doesn't require any form of shipping or manufactoring.
D. If most of it has already been released on the Wii Virtual Console.
I just hope the Celebi offer still stands by the end of this.
Just release it.
Cant Wait!!!!!
@Obito_Tennyson your profile fits your comment..like legit
and yeah i do agree with you...and now we have something as simple as an app its not even a game...and they are still "monitoring" the regions who are using it up to now >.> such wow(i think its already a week and still no release for us)
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