Update (Mon 24th Feb, 2020 13:00 GMT): Today's the day, folks. The Pokémon Global Link - the service which expands the worlds of Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon by offering a variety of online features - is set to close today after more than nine years of operation.
The service will be shut down at 23:59 UTC on 24th February. If you haven't yet done so, make sure to log in quickly to claim your free special Munna (full details below).
Original Article (Tue 26th Nov, 2019 10:00 GMT): The Pokémon Company has revealed that the Pokémon Global Link service available in the series' seventh generation of games is set to be shut down early next year.
On 24th February 2020, all gameplay features which require the service in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon and Pokémon Sun and Moon will no longer be available. Other online functions in the games will remain accessible. Here's the official statement:
"After more than nine years of operation, the Pokémon Global Link (PGL) service will be retired on February 24, 2020, at 23:59 UTC. After PGL service has ended, you will no longer be able to use any gameplay features that require a connection to the PGL on your Pokémon Ultra Sun, Pokémon Ultra Moon, Pokémon Sun, or Pokémon Moon games. You will still be able to use other online functionality apart from the PGL."
As a thank you gift, players who log in to the service can now receive a special Munna. This is based on Fennel's Munna from Pokémon Black and White and can be obtained from now until the Pokémon Global Link's closure in February. The Pokémon arrives in a Dream Ball with its Hidden Ability and the moves Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Rest and Sleep Talk (thanks, Serebii).
The Pokémon Company also shared the following:
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield will provide services similar to the PGL’s Rating Battles and Online Competitions features and will be available to play via Nintendo Switch.
Do you still regularly play any of the Sun and Moon games? Will you be sad to see the Pokémon Global Link go? Let us know with a comment below.
[source 3ds.pokemon-gl.com, via serebii.net]
Comments (41)
So Pokemon Home probably launches around that time then.
@Grumblevolcano Pokémon home better be amazing.
@Grumblevolcano I'm hoping it does, want to know more about it
@Kalmaro It should be. I hope it comes with trade, online battles / competitions, a full PokeDex, enough boxes to store all Pokemon. And a Switch app, so I won't need a smartphone to use it.
Only 9 months for an online service before it gets shut down?
That must be a negative record.. :/
Can't say I'll miss it that much. The Global Link hasn't been remotely interesting since the Dream World shut down, it's just been a glorified leaderboard. Easily replaceable.
You know you've backlogged the game hard when you buy it a month after launch and it loses online functions before you beat even half of it. 😆 But since I've never had any interest in the franchise's PvP side, I can't say I'll miss this one. Losing GTS would be more of a bummer for me (inb4 it shuts down months after this comment, too).
With all these people saying "if you want all the Pokemon then play the old games" That won't be possible when all their online functions shut down.
In other words: "If you're staying in Alola for the sake of playing with your Ho-Oh, well, sucks to be you."
It's just the Global Link functionality that's closing, not all the online functions. That means stuff like the online battle competitions, the global missions and possibly the battle spot that lets you battle random people.
Wonder Trade, GTS and connecting to specific people to battle and trade will still be fine, just like it is in XYORAS which had its Global Link functions closed a few years ago
I still need to complete my US Pokedex 😶
How long before pokemon bank gets discontinued?
@Bisylizzie You can still battle random players in X&Y as well. Hope you're right.
@Galenmereth True. But in my scenario it would be part of the Home app (like Pokémon Stadium)
So, close the game, go to the app and use it to battle online. (Using all your 'mon)
@dimi It won't, Pokémon Bank will connect to Home.
Just a reminder that eventually, just like in Gen 4 and 5, all online functionality will be shut down in gens 6 and 7 eventually as old features are replaced, meaning that you won't be able to "Just play the old games" exactly like you should.
This would not be as much an issue if the prices for these replacements weren't higher than the original.
I'm hoping Pokemon Home launches close to then because I have Pokemon from past generations I'd like to bring in to Sword and Shield. I also wish Nintendo would patch in the ability for Pokemon to gain EXP when put inside the PokeBall Plus. It's weird the feature was omitted when it works in Let's Go games. I really don't think it would be that complicated and would be an added bonus for people who already own the accessory, plus people have been buying them alongside Sword and Shield and I'm sure it was a rude awakening for many of us when we found out you can't gain EXP any more.
@construx where are you getting months?
I'm kinda in the dark of what gameplay features require a connection to Pokemon Global Link. Will the GTS & Wonder Trade(even though I completed the Alola Dex in both my Sun & Ultra Sun versions)still be usable once the PGL service shuts down?
@DarthFoxMcCloud Thing is, you can't bring any of your old Pokemon into SwSh. They'll just sit in Home indefinitely, since we have yet to even have a game announced that'll be compatible with Pokemon from Home.
Even with Global Link being gone, I don't expect GTS or Wonder Trade to go kaput. They're still working on the older 3DS titles as well, and unlike the DS titles, they don't require a NWFC, just Wi-Fi in general.
Cant await Pokemon home and its slogan.
"Only now experience a online storage for all(*²) Pokemon"!
** Sword and Shield are NOT supporting all previously available Pokemon. When trying to transfer one of these Pokemon, you will get the Errorcode "Dexit".
"Harharharharhar". Insert laughing Mr. Krabs money counting gif.
Nintendo should really abandon the 3DS. I'm still surprised that some games that were released in 2011 (like Mario Kart 7) still uses the Nintendo Network. How long do we really have before Nintendo fully realizes that the 3DS is basically dead?
Munna is cute
@KingBowser I agree that they shouldn't be making any more 3DS games at this point (which they aren't) but I see no reason they shouldn't still support online services for it as long as possible.
Are you still going to be locked into a 10 minute tutorial for it when you just want to wonder trade? I get the feeling the answer is yes...
I wish they'd release and update so my 3ds stops trying to connect to this now only to fail.
Pokemon is such a complicated mess that you almost forget there's a bland adventure game under all of it
They don't like free services anymore.
Is the Pokemon Company greedier than EA...?
@Grumblevolcano well you are right about that
@construx that's capitalism. They see there is value in a service they provide. People will pay for it no matter what, so they will charge.
Just an FYI: if you didn’t already connect your game to PGL before the announcement of the Munna distribution, you can’t get it. I realized today when I connected UM to PGL for the first time (luckily I also have Sun and got it through that).
Got it! Would've missed it if not for the reminder.
@Kalmaro I got bad news for ya.
@Haida no worries, my disappointment gmcant get any lower right now when it comes to sun/moon
@KingBowser There is no valid reason to shut down Mario Kart 7's servers at any point in the near future.
I can still play Black Ops 1 on my Xbox One online, and it still attracts a good number of players and its a ten year old game.
There is no reason to shut down severs on older games if they still attract a devoted player base
Thanks for this repost. Got my Munna!
I never really liked the service. It always felt clunky and slow and when it first started, back in the Black and White days as dream world, it often limited how often you could connect at all. Also Sun and Moon really burned me out. I hadn't played any Pokemon for almost a year until Sword and Shield dropped.
And I like Sw/Sh so much more than S/M and UltraRehash.
A few weeks ago, I tried resetting my password for my global link password because I forgot it and the email way too long to arrive, so I forgot...
This is a shame but obviously expected. I replay all the old pokemon games when time allows. And IMO Sun and Moon are the best Pokemon games yet. They have the best art direction, gameplay, music, story, post-game content. Way better than the rest.
I would like a 3rd version to come out on Switch. GF like to release a major game every year. This year will be the DLC for S&S so we'll probably get a Gen 4 remake next year.
Does anyone else just get a 404 trying to login at https://3ds.pokemon-gl.com/present/60cac55f-312d-4d6c-9b3e-2ac79736d5cf ? That's the link in the article but maybe it's dead?
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