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Published Sep 9, 2026, 2:48 PM EDT
Switch 2 owners who purchase the Pokopia Expansion Pass have much to look forward to
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With Bubbly Basin in the rear-view mirror, Pokémon Pokopia is gearing players up for the cozy game's next DLC update. Koei Tecmo and Game Freak have been teasing the game's accessory-focused update for a while, but Wednesday's Nintendo Direct offered a better look at the DLC in action.
The new trailer features cosmetics like bows, sunglasses, ribbons, and ties. Fittingly, the model for the new sunglasses was none other than the water starter from Pokémon Red and Blue. Now Pokopia players can bring the Squirtle Squad back to life! The promo images for the DLC also show things like detachable wings, so this is likely not an exhaustive list of new items.
The footage also showcased some of the additional monsters coming to the cutesy building game. The new Pokémon include Doduo (Normal-type), Skitty (Normal-type), and Braixen (Fire-type) — but there are other critters that weren't shown in the video, according to the narrator in the trailer.
At the end of the Pokémon Pokopia trailer, there's some fine print cautioning players that the second wave of DLC will not introduce a new town. A new explorable area is being saved for the third and final part of the Expansion Pass, which is scheduled to release sometime in 2027. The more focused second DLC will release sometime in late 2026, Nintendo says. To play it, fans will need to purchase the $34.99 Expansion Pass. In addition to the existing Bubbly Basin DLC, which introduces a new underwater area, the Expansion Pass grants players a new recipe for dynamic Ditto block prints as well as 30 rare Pokémetal ingots.
Bubbly Basin released in early August, and while it didn't shake up the core formula, it did give a much-needed spotlight to the fish Pokémon that are often overlooked by the series.
Pokémon Pokopia is available now on Nintendo Switch 2. In Polygon's review of the game, we praised its charm and setting, writing, "If you can find the patience for its litany of tedious chores and slowpoke pacing, Pokémon Pokopia serves as an earnest reminder to nurture our world and all the little things in it."
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