Pokémon HOME Announced for BDSP and Pokémon Legends Arceus: More Details

The Pokémon Company has announced that a new update is coming soon to Pokémon Home, the ILCA-developed mobile and Switch app that lets subscribers store their Pokémon collection on the Cloud. This update, version 2.0, will add compatibility for the two most recent Pokémon games, Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This will allow players of these recent titles to move their cute critters across several other games, albeit with some caveats.

This Pokémon Home update will make the two newer games compatible with Pokémon Sword/Shield, Pokémon Let’s Go, Eevee/Pikachu, and even Pokémon GO. This update will also accommodate Pokédex differences, expanding the database from just the National Dex to each game’s individual Pokédex listings.

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Because of the differences in these titles, it’s possible moving a Pokémon to a different game will force some alterations, such as to moves, levels, or the type of Ball they’re held in. For the latter, monsters from Legends: Arceus will be transported via either “Strange Ball” or regular Poke Ball containers depending on their destination. Another caveat is that Pokemon brought from the Let’s Go series to Sword and Shield will not be able to send them back.

There are some bonuses happening as well. If your Pokedex entry for a creature is complete in Legends: Arceus, then that additional information will be added to the National Dex in Pokemon Home. A series of goodies will also be unlocked for users linking each game to their Pokemon Home accounts for the first time. Those details are below, taken from The Pokemon Company’s website:

“When you deposit a Pokémon from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Pokémon Shining Pearl to the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME, you will receive Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup with Hidden Abilities as Mystery Gifts in the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME.

If you deposit a Pokémon from Pokémon Legends: Arceus into the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME, you will receive Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott with maximum effort levels as Mystery Gifts in the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME.”

The announcement states the Pokémon Home update is coming “soon,” but doesn’t provide further details on the launch.