Explore underwater realms, build charming coastal towns, and enjoy low-stress, creative sandbox play together as a family with the new Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass Part 1: Bubbly Basin.
If you are looking for a calming screen-time option to enjoy together, Pokémon Pokopia provides a peaceful world focused on creativity, collaboration, and slow-paced exploration, and now there is even more reasons to play with the upcoming release of Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass Part 1: Bubbly Basin!
Players step into the role of a friendly Ditto disguised as a human, setting out to transform a quiet landscape into a welcoming sanctuary for local Pokémon. Rather than focusing on high-stakes battles or strict timers, the gameplay centres on building, farming, decorating, and helping your local Pokémon neighbours feel right at home.
What Is Pokémon Pokopia?
For uninitiated, Pokémon Pokopia offers a game that is accessible for younger players while remaining engaging for older kids and parents alike:
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Creative Sandbox Building: Collect natural resources like stone and wood to construct homes, plant gardens, and arrange furniture to style your ideal village.
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Helpful Pokémon Partners: Collaborate with familiar Pokémon to manage your environment. Pokémon can use moves like Leafage to plant greenery or Water Gun to tend to growing crops.
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Low-Pressure Exploration: Featuring gentle weather systems and day-and-night cycles, the game lets players set their own pace without high-pressure challenges.
Free August Update: Learn to Dive
All owners of the base game will receive new gameplay capabilities through a free software update, Pokémon Pokopia Ver. 2.0.0, to be released on 5 Aug 2026.
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Master the Dive Move: Before, Ditto couldn't stay underwater for very long, with the update, Manaphy will teach Dive, and Ditto can move freely in the water to explore ocean areas.
- More Adventures Underwater: Swim along with Water-type Pokémon and build places for relaxation or even a crop field underwater. Lay down railway tracks from land to underwater and ride a handcar all the way through! Ditto can now enjoy building a town underwater!
Requirements: To unlock the Dive move, players must have completed the "Raise the environment level!" request at Bleak Beach and have acquired both the jump action and the Surf move.
Expand Your Experience: Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass Part 1: Bubbly Basin
Launching on 5 August 2026, Part 1: Bubbly Basin is the first chapter of a three-part DLC pass that introduces a brand-new aquatic setting. Alongside Popplio, Ditto arrives at a new town: Bubbly Basin. By fulfilling requests from a variety of Pokémon you meet under the sea—starting with Popplio—you can develop the town little by little!
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Explore an Underwater Town: Plunge into the Bubbly Basin area to develop a sea-themed village and meet water-dwelling Pokémon.
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Make Buildings that Float: By using the newly added buoyant blocks, you can make buildings that float at different levels underwater. Get help from Pokémon who can build underwater and enjoy developing towns three-dimensionally in a way that is only possible underwater.
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Exclusive Customisation: Access new outfits for your Ditto and unique sea-inspired decorative items perfect for underwater design!
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Bonus In-Game Content: Purchasing the expansion pass unlocks special crafting recipes (such as dynamic Ditto print blocks and wallpaper) and rare Pokémetal ingots that you can use at a workbench.
This title is planned and co-developed by The Pokémon Company, GAME FREAK inc., and KOEI TECMO GAMES.
Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass—Part 2
Families can also look forward to additional releases, Part 2 in late 2026 and Part 3 in 2027.
In the paid DLC, Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass—Part 2, you will be able to enjoy dressing up alongside other Pokémon by wearing accessories. In addition to the many accessories, additional furniture pieces and Pokémon will also appear.
Our Experience
New to the game, I had a chance to try out Pokémon Pokopia recently and I was hooked. It is not the usual Pokémon games that I was expecting, instead the pace was slower and the objectives different.
I can see myself playing this for hours as a way to unwind, discovering new Pokémon as I build new homes for them. I can also imagine competing with the kids to see who managed to discover more Pokémon or created new habitats.
With the new art 1 : Bubbly Basin, it gives new and seasoned players more options to expand their play time with new and exciting Pokémon to invite and requests to complete.
I also feel that Pokémon Pokopia can be ideal for co-playing with younger children. Parents can take turns helping with navigation or larger building projects while letting kids lead the decision-making on decorating, picking outfits, and deciding which Pokémon to invite next.
The Essentials
- Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
- Base Game Availability: Available now
- Free Update & Bubbly Basin Expansion: 5 August 2026
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Admission / Pricing:
- Base Game: Standard retail price
- Free Update: Available at no additional cost for base game owners
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Expansion Pass: Available on the Nintendo eShop
Pokémon Pokopia Bubbly Basin DLC will be available via the Nintendo eShop and major video game retailers.
Footnote: Internet connection required for software updates and downloadable content. Additional paid Expansion Pass required to access Bubbly Basin content.
Screenshots and game footage are from a product in development and not final. Actual game play experience may vary.
©2026 Pokémon. ©1995‒2026 Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. ©2026 KOEI TECMO GAMES Pokémon and Nintendo Switch are trademarks of Nintendo
