Pokemon Home is the new cloud-based storage solution for long-time fans of the series.
The upcoming app gives fans the chance to deposit and store excess Pokemon, before trading them with fellow players.
Available on iOS, Android and Nintendo Switch, it will be compatible with Pokemon Sword and Shield, as well as Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee!
Nintendo previously announced a February 2020 launch for the app, although it didn’t give an exact date.
However, if the Pokemon Home website is anything to go by, it looks like the app could launch sooner than expected.
As you can see from the image below, one of the advantages of Pokemon Home is that subscribers will receive free gifts.
“You can receive Mystery Gifts in the mobile device version of Pokemon HOME!” the description reads.
“With this feature, you can receive Mystery Gifts for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield as well as gifts specifically for Pokemon HOME. Pokemon received in Pokemon HOME can be directly deposited in a Box in Pokemon HOME.”
Look a little closer at the image, however, and you’ll see that the first gift is set to go live at 9.41pm on February 7. That’s today!
A surprise Pokemon Home release certainly isn’t beyond the realms of possibility, although a more likely launch date is February 27.
Widely known as Pokemon Day, February 27 is the anniversary of the original Pokemon games launching in Japan.
It’s the same date Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution will make its first appearance on Netflix.
Pokemon Go is also getting in on the act, with celebratory Pocket Monsters appearing in the wild around Pokemon Day.
Armoured MewTwo will also re-appear in Pokemon Go, alongside Clone Pokemon like Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise.
As for Pokemon Home, the app will feature a paid tier with additional bonuses for fans.
Nintendo explains more: “If a user is enrolled in a Premium Plan (paid), they will be able to move Pokemon from Nintendo 3DS Pokemon titles to Pokemon HOME using Pokemon Bank.
“Once a Pokemon from Pokemon Bank is moved into Pokemon HOME, it cannot be moved back to Pokemon Bank.”
Fortunately, however, Nintendo will the Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter available at no cost for one month at launch.
“Trainers will be able to bring over Pokemon from various Pokemon series games using Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter. Once they have their Pokemon in Pokemon Bank, Trainers will then be able to move the Pokemon to Pokemon HOME.”
Fingers crossed we’ll get some more Pokemon Home news later today.