In what is seen by some as a surprising turn of events, Game Freak has announced that Pokemon Sword and Shield will be getting an expansion pass later this year, adding new areas, new (and returning) Pokemon, and new activities in and around the Galar region. Game Freak has opted to do DLC rather than releasing an updated version of the games, so players can continue using the same save file instead of having to start over in a brand new (updated) game.

Pokemon Sword and Shield players who purchase the expansion pass will gain access to the Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra as they release in 2020, and these new areas feature plenty of new things that Game Freak showed off during their Pokemon-themed direct.

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What is the Isle of Armor?

The Isle of Armor is the first of two brand new locations coming to Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield with the Expansion Pass, the first scheduled to launch June 2020. This new area is depicted as a beautiful island area surrounded by crystal waters and beautiful rolling hills, full of verdant forests, mysterious caves, and beautiful beaches to explore. The Isle of Armor is located off the coast of the Galar region and is filled with many different locales to explore. According to Hiroyuki Tani, the director of the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass, this first DLC is focused on the theme of Growth, so players can expect to find beautiful scenery everywhere they go.

As such, it stands to reason that a plethora of Pokemon types will be available on The Isle of Armor. While it remains to be seen, beaches would be ripe for Water-types, caves for a plethora of types, and the Dojo found on the island hints at the presence of additional Fighting-types.

The focus of the Isle of Armor DLC is that trainers head to this island and become an apprentice at a Fighting Dojo run by a trainer named Mustard. The Fighting Dojo features unique battle challenges that restrict the use of certain Pokemon or tactics, which makes for a great opportunity to test out new teams with some of the returning Pokemon being added with the DLC. Players will also be gifted a legendary Pokemon while training with Mustard: Kubfu. This Fighting-type Pokemon will evolve once the player's training at the Dojo is complete, turning into Urshifu - who has two distinct styles depending on which game it is in.

In addition to the main plot of the DLC, the Isle of Armor will also feature some new and returning features. Move Tutors will be making a return and will even feature some special new moves. Apricorns make a triumphant return in this DLC, meaning that players can craft their own Poke Balls that were previously exclusive to Mystery Gift codes or through exclusive traders. There will also be a new Exp. Charm for players to snag to get some easy Exp.

pokemon sword and shield expansion pass isle of armor dojo

What is The Crown Tundra?

If the Isle of Armor was designed to be a warm summer getaway spot, then The Crown Tundra is the epitome of a winter wonderland in the mountains. Tani noted that The Crown Tundra has a big focus on exploration, and there is plenty to explore in this snowy DLC. The Crown Tundra isn't scheduled to launch until Autumn 2020 so not as many details are currently available about the area yet, but Game Freak has revealed some key details about this new expansion. Residents of The Crown Tundra live in smaller communities that rely on each other, and out in the snowy wilderness, there are hidden caves and temples that are waiting to be explored. In the trailer for the Expansion Pass, a new temple was shown that seems to be the den of two new Regi Pokemon.

Whereas the Isle of Armor seems like a lively location that could house a plethora of Pokemon types, the Crown Tundra is more rugged. This would suggest that more resilient Pokemon types, like Ice, Steel, Ground, and more, are likely to be the pre-dominant types in the area. Of course, that's still up in the air, but it doesn't seem likely there will be many Fire-types running around.

There are also new Pokemon Dens that serve as a new cooperative activity in The Crown Tundra. Previously players only got a glimpse of Pokemon Dens in the Wild Area as they fought in Raid Battles. But when The Crown Tundra launches, players will be able to team up to explore these uncharted dens in the hopes of finding Dynamaxed Legendary Pokemon from previous titles.

Since The Crown Tundra is still a ways off, there may yet be details of the area that Game Freak has yet to unveil, but from the concept art shown so far it's clear that this adventure will be heavily focused on trudging through mountains, snowy fields, and mysterious caves in search of new and returning Pokemon. With so many Legendary Pokemon returning in The Crown Tundra, it's shaping up to be very rewarding for players who love to explore every corner of the map.

pokemon sword shield expansion pass the crown tundra snow field

Both the Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra are designed to be more free-form and open compared to most of the Galar Region. These two new areas will be more like the Wild Area, which is one of the many things Pokemon that needed to change after Sword and Shield. Moving toward a more open and free area to explore is definitely a better fit for the theme of the Pokemon series, so hopefully these two DLCs are an indication of what's to come whenever Game Freak decides to release the next Pokemon title.

Pokemon Sword and Shield are available now exclusively for Nintendo Switch.

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