After the Nintendo 3DS handheld console saw most its online services including the online store (eShop) taken offline not too long ago, it was only a matter of time before the demise of even the remaining paid services, such as the Pokémon Bank which Nintendo has now announced will be shutting down on February 25 of 2027.
The ability to transfer the digital pocket monsters, or Pokémon, between physical systems has been a staple of the series since the early Gameboy days when a link cable would be all you needed to trade and catch’em’all, as they say in the trade. Naturally over time this Cloud-based aspect wormed its way into this series as well, starting with the 3DS and this continuing on the Nintendo Switch in the form of the Pokémon HOME app.
With this paid service an avid Pokémon fan could collect up to 3,000 of these digital critters, move them between various Pokémon games and generally allow players to keep the same Pokémon with them across games. As noted by [Kevdog Plays] in an informative video on what to do before the shutdown, the service is free during these final months.
What’s interesting is that certain Pokémon can only be obtained from 3DS Pokémon games, which means that without either an alternative to this transfer mechanism or these games becoming available on newer Nintendo consoles, there will forever be that gaping hole in one’s Pokedex. Naturally this raises the usual questions about software archiving and preservation when an online service is required for the full game experience.
Canon Pokemon games ended on Red (or maaaaaybe FireRed) so it’s a non-issue anyway.
Facts, i enjoyed leafgreen. Anything after was looking cool, fun uodates and upgrades but why swap all the mons, new dexes and all to get new looks? Its still the same rpg turnbased game.
The switch versions are meh, each game has a few pro things but so sad to see the state of things. No voicelines? Like, what is this? They arent even cute anymore, just weird mechanical super gods that im collecting to complete a game? Bugs never get fixed either
Gen 2 > Gen 1
All the more reason to enjoy Palworld and Pokémon fan games.
Pokémon Clover is incredible.
Seeing the size of the pokemon hacking scene, I give it two weeks before a few hacks and a replacement server has been developed.
There has been a replacement for years. I remember using a modded console in 2016 with a local bank alternative called like Homebrew Bank or something.
While there are always options, it ruins the experience a bit. Especially for those who take pride in getting everything legit, by themselves. (No action replay, no glitches, etc.) Using any after market tools can feel like cheating, and diminish the achievement.
PKSM
https://github.com/flagbrew/pksm
The irony of such a dense digital collection spanning generations of consoles being in the stewardship of a company that uses planned obsolescense like a crutch
What? No Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation bailout for the Pokémon Bank? I see the Pokey Pokémoners every Sunday A.M. at a local park worshipping the electronic deities of their choice, trudging slowly between the PokéShrines. Hey, freedom of religion is a Constitutional right!