It’s finally happening. After years of catching hard-earned Pokémon from different games and wondering if we’d ever be able to use them again, the Pokémon Company has come through with a new trading and storage system.
During the 2019 Pokémon Press Conference, Game Freak’s director, Junichi Masuda, announced a new cloud service called Pokémon Home. It’s a Pokémon storage and trading service that works with the Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, and the 3DS storage system – Pokémon Bank.
We’ve also created a list of all of the Pokémon from pre-existing games that have made it into Sword and Shield’s Pokédex.
Update: January 9, 2019: Pokémon Home releases in February.
During the Pokémon Direct, The Pokémon Company announced that Pokémon Home will launch sometime in February 2020.
Update: November 8, 2019: Leaked information gives us better understanding of Gen 8 Pokédex.
We’ve updated the list of Pokémon found in Gen 8 to match information revealed in leaks.
Update: October 1, 2019: More Pokémon confirmed for Sword and Shield.
We’ve updated the list of Pokémon found in Gen 8.
Update: June 11, 2019: Only some Pokémon can be transferred into Sword and Shield
During E3, Junichi Masuda of Game Freak announced via interpreter that only the Pokémon that are in the Galar region Pokédex can be transferred into the new games. This means you might not be able to play the new Switch games with your favorite monsters that you’ve caught elsewhere.
More: Everything you need to know about Pokémon Sword and Shield
When will Pokémon Home release?
We learned from a Pokemon Direct that this service launches sometime in February 2020 on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android devices. We don’t have any detailed information about the release date yet, but we’ll update this article as we learn more.
Does Pokémon Home have a subscription, and how much does it cost?
The details surrounding how Pokémon Home works are still really vague. However, considering that Pokémon Bank required a subscription, we do expect you’ll need to pay to use Pokémon Home. Based on the fact that a Pokémon Bank subscription on the 3DS costs $5 per year, our educated guess puts the hypothetical cost of a Pokémon Home subscription between $5 and $10 per year.
Another thing to consider is that Pokemon Go players accessing the service from their phone might pay differently from players who access Pokémon Home from a 3DS or Switch. It might also be possible that Switch players will need to have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to use Pokémon Home. Once again, this is all speculation, but we’ll keep our ear to the ground and will update this information when we learn more.
How do you trade?
This service will make it so you can trade with other Pokémon players around the world or with people nearby using a smartphone.
What games are compatible with Pokémon Home?
This is a somewhat tricky answer. The press conference stated that the service would work with Pokémon Bank, Pokémon GO, Let’s Go Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!, and the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games. If it’s been a while or if you aren’t familiar, the 3DS handheld system’s Pokémon Bank allowed you to store up to 3,000 monsters from several games. This means that if you have a 3DS and use Pokémon Bank, you’ll be able to store monsters into Pokémon Home from the many Pokémon games available on 3DS, as well.
Games that work with Pokémon Home
- Pokémon GO
- Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!
- Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!
- Pokémon Sword
- Pokémon Shield
- Pokémon Bank
Now the thing is, Pokémon Bank worked with several games from the 3DS system. However, some of the games could only deposit into Pokémon Bank but couldn’t receive transfers from the storage service. Something similar will be put in place for Pokémon Home.
The above image is for Pokémon Bank, not Pokémon Home.
Games that work with Pokémon Bank on the 3DS
- Pokémon Black
- Pokémon White
- Pokémon Black Version 2
- Pokémon White Version 2
- Pokémon Red (Virtual Console)
- Pokémon Blue (Virtual Console)
- Pokémon Yellow (Virtual Console)
- Pokémon Gold (Virtual Console)
- Pokémon Silver (Virtual Console)
- Pokémon Crystal (Virtual Console)
- Pokémon X
- Pokémon Y
- Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
- Pokémon Omega Ruby
- Pokémon Sun
- Pokémon Moon
- Pokémon Ultra Sun
- Pokémon Ultra Moon
Transfer limitations
As you’ve seen in the list above, several games allow you to transfer a Pokémon into Pokémon Home; however, only Sword and Shield allow you to transfer a pocket monster from Pokémon Home to the game. That means that anything transferred to Pokémon Home from a different Pokémon title won’t be able to go back into its original game.
There are also limitations for which Pokémon can be transferred into the new games. We learned during the E3 2019 Nintendo Treehouse livestream that you’ll only be able to transfer a Pokémon into Sword and Shield if that Pokémon is in the Galar region Pokédex. By scouring trailers and advertisements, we’ve made a list of all the Pokemon from previous generations that we know to appear in the Sword and Shield gameplay. We’ll update this as we learn more.
Every pre-existing Pokémon in Sword and Shield
Here’s a list of every pre-existing Pokémon that will be in Sword or Shield. This list is in alphabetical order rather than Pokédex order. Any Pokémon with an asterisk next to it has a Galarian form. If you’re interested, you can also see our list of every new leaked Pokémon.
- Abomasnow
- Accelgor
- Aegislash
- Araquanid
- Arcanine
- Aromatisse
- Avalugg
- Axew
- Baltoy
- Barbacle
- Barboach
- Basculin
- Beartic
- Beheeyem
- Bellossom
- Bergmite
- Bewear
- Binacle
- Bisharp
- Boldore
- Bonsly
- Bounsweet
- Braviary
- Bronzor
- Bronzong
- Budew
- Bunnelby
- Butterfree
- Caterpie
- Chandelure
- Charizard
- Charmander
- Charmeleon
- Charjabug
- Cherrim
- Cherubi
- Chinchou
- Cinccino
- Claydol
- Cleffa
- Clefairy
- Clefable
- Cloyster
- Cofagrigus* (Runerigus)
- Combee
- Conkledurr
- Corphish
- Corsola*
- Cottonee
- Crawdaunt
- Croagunk
- Crustle
- Cubchoo
- Cutiefly
- Darmanitan
- Darumaka
- Deino
- Delibird
- Dewpider
- Dhelmise
- Diggersby
- Diglett
- Ditto
- Doublade
- Drampa
- Drapion
- Drifloon
- Drifblim
- Drilbur
- Dugtrio
- Duosion
- Durant
- Dusknoir
- Dusclops
- Duskull
- Dwebble
- Eevee
- Electrike
- Elgyem
- Escavalier
- Espeon
- Espurr
- Excadrill
- Farfetch’d*
- Feebas
- Ferroseed
- Ferrothorn
- Flareon
- Flygon
- Fraxure
- Frillish
- Froslass
- Gallade
- Galvantula
- Garbodor
- Gardevoir
- Gastly
- Gastrodon
- Gengar
- Gigalith
- Glaceon
- Glalie
- Gloom
- Goldeen
- Golett
- Golisopod
- Golurk
- Goodra
- Goomy
- Gothita
- Gothitelle
- Gothorita
- Gourgeist
- Growlithe
- Grubbin
- Gurdurr
- Gyarados
- Hakamo-o
- Haunter
- Hawlucha
- Haxorus
- Heatmor
- Helioptile
- Heliolisk
- Hippopotas
- Hippowdon
- Hitmonchan
- Hitmonlee
- Hitmontop
- Honedge
- Hoothoot
- Hydreigon
- Inkay
- Jangmo-o
- Jellicent
- Jolteon
- Joltik
- Karrablast
- Krabby
- Kingler
- Kirlia
- Klang
- Klink
- Klinklang
- Koffing
- Kommo-o
- Lampent
- Lanturn
- Lapras
- Larvitar
- Leafeon
- Liepard
- Linoone*
- Litwick
- Lombre
- Lotad
- Lucario
- Ludicolo
- Lunatone
- Machop
- Machoke
- Machamp
- Magikarp
- Malamar
- Mamoswine
- Mandibuzz
- Manectric
- Mantine
- Mantyke
- Maractus
- Mareanie
- Mawile
- Meowstic
- Meowth
- Metapod
- Mew
- Mime Jr.
- Mimikyu
- Minccino
- Milotic
- Morelull
- Mr. Mime*
- Mudbray
- Mudsdale
- Munchlax
- Munna
- Musharna
- Natu
- Nincada
- Ninetales
- Ninjask
- Noctowl
- Noibat
- Noivern
- Nuzleaf
- Octillery
- Oddish
- Onix
- Oranguru
- Palpitoad
- Pancham
- Pangoro
- Passimian
- Pawniard
- Pelipper
- Persian
- Phantump
- Pichu
- Pidove
- Pikachu
- Piloswine
- Ponyta*
- Pumpkaboo
- Pupitar
- Purrloin
- Pyukumuku
- Quagsire
- Qwilfish
- Raichu
- Ralts
- Rapidash*
- Remoraid
- Reuniclus
- Rhydon
- Rhyhorn
- Rhyperior
- Ribombee
- Riolu
- Roggenrola
- Roselia
- Roserade
- Rotom
- Rufflet
- Sableye
- Salandit
- Salazzle
- Sawk
- Scrafty
- Scrappy
- Seaking
- Seedot
- Seismitoad
- Shedinja
- Shellder
- Shellos
- Shelmet
- Shiftry
- Shiinotic
- Shuckle
- Sigilyph
- Silvally
- Skorupi
- Skuntank
- Sliggoo
- Slurpuff
- Sneasel
- Snorlax
- Snorunt
- Snover
- Solosis
- Solrock
- Spritzee
- Steelix
- Steenee
- Stufful
- Stunfisk*
- Stunky
- Sudowoodo
- Swinub
- Swirlix
- Swoobat
- Sylveon
- Throh
- Timburr
- Torkoal
- Togepi
- Togetic
- Togekiss
- Toxapex
- Toxicroak
- Trapinch
- Trainquill
- Tevenant
- Trubbish
- Tsareena
- Turtonator
- Tympole
- Type: Null
- Tyranitar
- Tyrogue
- Umbreon
- Unfezant
- Vanillite
- Vanillish
- Vanilluxe
- Vaporeon
- Vespiquen
- Vibrava
- Vikavolt
- Vileplume
- Vullaby
- Vulpix
- Wailmer
- Wailord
- Weavile
- Weezing*
- Whimsicott
- Whiscash
- Wimpod
- Wingull
- Wishiwashi
- Woobat
- Wooper
- Wobbuffet
- Wynaut
- Xatu
- Yamask*
- Zigzagoon*
- Zwelious
What are your thoughts about this new service? Tell us about it in the comments.
Updated January 9, 2020: Updated release date for Pokémon Home.
Source of the article – iMore