Today's Pokemon Direct broadcast from Nintendo revealed a major announcement for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. Both Pokemon Sword and Shield will be receiving an Expansion Pass. Where in previous generations Game Freak would re-release games with more content, like in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Game Freak will instead release expansions for Sword and Shield. The Expansion Pass will include two content updates, planned for release in June and fall 2020.
The Expansion Passes for both Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield will include two content packs, named The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. These expansions will both include an array of new content including much of what fans both want and expect. This includes new regions to explore, new Pokemon to discover, and a new story to experience. Perhaps most exciting for Pokemon fans is the confirmation that more than 200 past Pokemon will be added to the Galarian PokeDex.
A vocal subset of Pokemon fans made clear their displeasure that Game Freak would be limiting the PokeDex in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Game Freak is making the effort to add Pokemon to the game as it's able, though. Between The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, more than 200 past Pokemon will be returning. These will apparently include many of Pokemon's past Legendary Pokemon. Most excitingly, players don't need to have the expansions to trade for the new Pokemon. They can even be traded through Pokemon Home.
For Pokemon Sword and Shield players focused on new content, there's plenty to be excited about. The Isle of Armor will focus on the theme of "growth," will include a dojo where players will become apprentices, and will add new rivals - Klara for Sword and Avery for Shield. The Crown Tundra will focus on exploration, introducing a new Legendary Grass-type Pokemon named Calyrex. Both expansions will include large new Wild Areas to explore and raid within.
As surprising as the Pokemon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass announcement is, the release dates for the two expansions are just as surprising. The Isle of Armor expansion launches June 2020, in just 6 months, and The Crown Tundra will launch in fall 2020. Pokemon players will have plenty of new content to play through all year long. Altogether the Expansion Pass will cost just $29.99. It can even be pre-ordered right now and will provide a special new in-game quest at the Wedgehurst station.
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are available now exclusively on Nintendo Switch.