The Pokemon Company have announced the pricing and other details for the Pokemon Home companion app.
The news comes via the official website. As already confirmed, the app will allow players to transfer certain Pokemon to Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield from Pokemon Bank, Pokemon Let’s Go: Pikachu!, and Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee!. The ability to transfer from Pokemon Go is “coming soon.”
Players can also transfer Pokemon between the Let’s Go games. When a Pokemon is sent from Let’s Go to Sword or Shield, it cannot return to Let’s Go.
We now know that to transfer from Pokemon Bank (which serves a similar function as Pokemon Home for older titles), players must be part of the Premium Plan.
When Pokemon Home releases, both Pokemon Bank and the Poke Transporter (for even older Pokemon games) will be available for free for one month. One a Pokemon is transferred to Pokemon Home, it can no longer be sent to Pokemon Bank.
Pokemon Home will also allow players to trade. This is via the Wonder Box (trading with a random person to receive a random Pokemon), or via the return of the Global Trade System- or GTS. With the GTS, players can request a specific Pokemon (including its gender and level) in exchange for their Pokemon. When two requests match, the trade will occur.
There is also Room Trade. Much like Wonder Box, you won’t know what you are going to receive, but trading is among 20 people. You can also use Friend Trade to trade specifically with those you have added as a friend through the app.
For trading, the Premium Plan unlocks the ability to trade more Pokemon at once via Wonder Box and GTS. Players can also create their own rooms in Room Trade under the Premium Plan. Those under 16 cannot add or manage friends.
Pokemon Home will also contain the National Pokedex- the list of all Pokemon and their alternate forms such as Mega Evolution and Gigantimaxing. Those using the app on mobile cn also find out what abilities and moves the Pokemon can learn.
Players can also receive Mystery Gifts (items and rare Pokemon handed out via online or real life local events) for Sword, Shield, or Pokemon Home. Some gifts will be exclusive to home, while others can be codes sent to Home, to be later used in Sword and Shield.
Those under the Premium Plan can also “judge” Pokemon. This is a feature within Sword and Shield that can let a player see more details about a Pokemon’s stats- such as the fan-dubbed Effort Values and Individual Values.
Players also have access to a profile (Your Room) to find the latest news, and complete challenges to earn stickers for their profile page. Similar to Pokemon Bank, can earn points “that accumulate in Pokémon HOME as you deposit more Pokémon.” In Pokemon Bank, the points built up over-time quicker with more Pokemon deposited.
The points can then be converted into BP (Battle Points) and sent to Pokemon Sword or Pokemon Shield, where players cam acquire powerful items for raising, battling, and breeding Pokemon.
In February 2020, The mobile version will also allow players to see Battle Data, such rankings in ongoing online competitions, records of various trainers, and what Pokemon are being used the most (and their move-sets).
You can find the full run-down of features between the mobile and Nintendo Switch versions, along with the Premium Plan breakdown below:
For comparison, Pokemon Bank has a yearly fee of $4.99, while Pokemon Home– with its additional features- has a yearly fee of $15.99
In case you missed it, two expansions were announced for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield.
Pokemon Home launches February 2020 for Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS.
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are out now on Nintendo Switch. In case you missed it, you can find our review here.
