Press Release

NEW VERSION OF POKÉMON HOME INTRODUCES MORE GAME COMPATIBILITY

​​​​​​​

BELLEVUE, WA—May 12, 2022—The Pokémon Company International and Nintendo have announced Pokémon HOME version 2.0.0, which will now allow the Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, and Pokémon Shining Pearl video games to be mutually compatible with the cloud service app alongside past games Pokémon Sword, Pokémon Shield, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, and Pokémon GO. [1] Players can look forward to the update in the coming weeks.
 
Pokémon HOME enables Trainers to continue their Pokémon adventures beyond a single game system and manage their collection of Pokémon across many of their games. The Pokémon that players can take to each game are limited to the Pokémon that appear in those games. Players can view the details on which Pokémon can be taken to which games from the Help menu of the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME.[2]
 
Introducing Strange Balls
Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes place in the distant past of the world of Pokémon, where Poké Balls from the other games do not yet exist. When Pokémon caught in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, Pokémon Sword, or Pokémon Shield are transferred to Pokémon Legends: Arceus, they will appear in Strange Balls. Strange Balls will only appear in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, and Pokémon Shining Pearl. All Pokémon caught in Pokémon Legends: Arceus that are transferred to Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield will appear in regular Poké Balls.[3]
 
In Pokémon HOME, players will be able to see the Poké Balls that Pokémon were originally caught in.
 
Claim Special Pokémon When Linking Games
To celebrate Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus becoming compatible with Pokémon HOME, players will be gifted special Pokémon when linking each game to Pokémon HOME.[4]

Pokémon Legends: Arceus Connectivity
After depositing a Pokémon from Pokémon Legends: Arceus into the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME, players will receive Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott with maximum effort levels as Mystery Gifts in the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl Connectivity
After depositing a Pokémon from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Pokémon Shining Pearl into the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME, players will receive Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup with Hidden Abilities as Mystery Gifts in the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME.

Connectivity Between Various Games
The moves that Pokémon can learn in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, Pokémon Sword, and Pokémon Shield differ from those that they can learn in other games, so a Pokémon’s moves will not be reflected when it is transferred to another game. When a Pokémon is taken to another game for the first time, the moves it can use will be determined by its level.[5]
 
If a Pokémon is brought from the game it was caught into another game and learns other moves, and is then brought back to the game it was caught in, it will go back to having the moves that it originally knew.[6]

Linking to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl
Players can check on the condition of Pokémon deposited from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl to Pokémon HOME as well as their other details.
 
Please be cautious of the following when connecting Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl to Pokémon HOME.

  • Special Pokémon that can only be caught once during regular gameplay can only be deposited once per save data to Pokémon HOME.
Linking to Pokémon Legends: Arceus
You can view the effort levels of Pokémon deposited from Pokémon Legends: Arceus to Pokémon HOME as well as its other details.
 
  • The objective of Pokémon Legends: Arceus is to help compile the first Pokédex in the Hisui region. As such, the National Pokédex in Pokémon HOME will update its Pokédex entries based on your completion of the Pokédex in your Pokémon Legends: Arceus save data.
  • If a Pokédex entry in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is incomplete, you will not be able to see that Pokémon’s entry in Pokémon HOME.
 
Additional Achievements and Stickers
Players can obtain stickers by completing achievements by meeting certain conditions in the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME. New achievements and stickers based on Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, and Pokémon Shining Pearl will be added from version 2.0.0 onwards.
 
For more information on Pokémon HOME version 2.0.0, please click here.
 
About Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com
 
About Nintendo
Nintendo Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, has created franchises that have become household names worldwide, including Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pokémon, Animal Crossing, Pikmin and Splatoon, through its integrated hardware and software products. Nintendo aims to deliver unique, intuitive entertainment experiences for everyone, manufacturing and marketing video game devices such as the Nintendo Switch family of systems, developing and operating applications for smart devices, and collaborating with partners on a range of other entertainment initiatives like visual content and theme parks. Nintendo has sold more than 5.3 billion video games and over 800 million hardware units globally. From the launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System more than 30 years ago, through today and into the future, Nintendo’s continuing mission is to create unique entertainment that puts smiles on the faces of people all over the world. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at https://www.nintendo.com/.

[1] Linking Pokémon HOME to different games can be done through the Nintendo Switch version.
 
[2] Example: Hisuian Growlithe cannot be transferred to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, Pokémon Sword, or Pokémon Shield, but players will be able to take a Pikachu they’ve caught in Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield into Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, or Pokémon Shining Pearl.
 
[3] When Pokémon are deposited or withdrawn between Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Pokémon Shining Pearl and Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield, the caught Pokémon will appear in the original Poké Balls that they were caught in and not in Strange Balls.
 
[4] Mystery Gifts in Pokémon HOME are only available on the mobile device version. The ability to link Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, and Pokémon Shining Pearl to Pokémon HOME is only available on the Nintendo Switch version. To prepare, please make sure that the Nintendo Switch version and the mobile device version of Pokémon HOME are linked. (For more details, please check here.)
 
Depending on the OS or device, players may not be able to use certain features. The particulars of this event may be changed at any time without prior warning. Thank you for your understanding.
[5] These moves will be learned when Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, Pokémon Sword, or Pokémon Shield are linked.
[6] A Pokémon caught in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! and transferred to Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield will keep the moves they had in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go Eevee! A Pokémon caught in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! and transferred to Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, or Pokémon Shining Pearl will have moves that correspond to its level. A Pokémon caught in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! and transferred to Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, Pokémon Sword, or Pokémon Shield cannot be transferred back to Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!