Cloud Service Pokémon Home Revealed To Arrive Sometime Next Month

The launch of 2018’s Let’s Go Pikachu and Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee while showing to breathe new life into the first generation with a completely new experience is refreshing to say the least, these is something that’s missing not only for these titles – but also future installments. The ability to trade seamlessly through cloud-based technology is the now and Pokémon has yet to adopt just that. It wasn’t until well into 2019 that Nintendo alongside Game Freak revealed Pokémon Home.

While not revealing much, it does give reassurance that an easy option for users to pass on captured Pokémon is on the way. And with this past Pokémon Direct this week, we now have an idea as for when this will arrive: announcing that the service will be debuting next month in February.

In the footage provided from the Direct, there is text reading on the bottom which tells the viewer that “Pokémon HOME is a paid service.” While other forms of transferring Pokémon were cost-free with previous iterations, it’s odd that Nintendo decided that players would have to pay their way into do it this time around.

“Players will also be able to bring over Pokémon to their game from Pokémon Home – as long as the Pokémon appear in the Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass,” Nintendo explains during the Direct.

Although we now have a set estimate for the service, Nintendo leaves more questions regarding how the pass will ultimately work: such as if players will be able to only transfer Pokémon that are available from the upcoming expansions or if you will have to own the pass atop of paying for the service as well. Nintendo further on shares that more will be revealed inching closer to the service’s arrival next month.

Many fans who watched the Pokémon Direct were unaware of the service being a separate payment necessary; pricing has yet to be disclosed by Nintendo or Game Freak.

Pokémon Home is slated to launch sometime in February 2020.