Pokemon Bank Users Think the Service is Shutting Down Next Year

Pokemon Bank users have been encouraged to transfer their Pokemon soon.

By Marc Deschamps

This week, Nintendo announced that online functionality for 3DS and Wii U games will come to an end in April 2024. After the shutdown, Pokemon Bank will remain accessible, but it seems like it's just a matter of time before that service comes to an end. The official Play Pokemon Twitter account has addressed the upcoming changes, and while the Tweet does not explicitly say anything about Pokemon Bank closing, it does "encourage players to transfer their Pokemon to Pokemon HOME at their earliest convenience." Anyone planning to use Pokemon Bank over the next few months should keep that in mind!

The Tweet from Play Pokemon can be found embedded below.

There has already been a lot of speculation from Pokemon fans about how much longer Pokemon Bank might last. As it stands, Pokemon Bank is the only way to transfer Pokemon that originated in games released for the DS and 3DS, and even the Game Boy Advance (once players have jumped through some hoops). If Pokemon Bank truly does get shut down, players will only be able to transfer Pokemon over to Pokemon Home that have been caught in games released for Nintendo Switch or in Pokemon Go.

Pokemon Bank Compatible Games

For those unfamiliar with Pokemon Bank, the app allows users to transfer Pokemon from the following games:

  • Pokemon Black and White
  • Pokemon Black 2 and White 2
  • Pokemon X and Y
  • Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
  • Pokemon Sun and Moon
  • Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
  • Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow (3DS Virtual Console)
  • Pokemon Gold and Silver (3DS Virtual Console)

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Players can also use it to transfer Pokemon over from Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, FireRed and LeafGreen, Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, and HeartGold and SoulSilver. However, unlike the games listed above, these games do not work with the service on their own; the Pokemon in those games must be transferred to a compatible game first. Getting Pokemon from those games moved into Pokemon Home can take a few extra steps. However, for longtime players, there's a lot appeal in being able to continue using Pokemon that were caught several years prior! There are also a lot of Pokemon fans that enjoy revisiting the older games, and that holds even more appeal knowing that those Pokemon can be used in modern games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Pokemon Bank Cost

Pokemon Bank used to be a paid service, similar to Pokemon Home. That changed earlier this year, when the Nintendo 3DS eShop was taken offline. The closure of the eShop made it impossible for players to digitally purchase any older Pokemon games on the system, and digital only titles cannot be accessed by anyone that didn't purchase them before the eShop closed. On the plus side, Pokemon Bank was turned into a completely free service, allowing any user the opportunity to bring their Pokemon over to Pokemon Home.

Are you worried that Pokemon Bank will end up shutting down? Have you moved over all your Pokemon? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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