Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s players have waited months, but thePokemon Homeservice has finally become available for the latest mainline entry in the Pokemon series. As a mainstay of the modern Pokemon franchise, thePokemon Homeservice now allows trainers to transfer their pocket monsters across various games via the cloud. As the primary method for Pokemon to be transferred from the older generation and spin-off titles,Pokemon Scarlet and Violethave suddenly been updated with many new creatures, courtesy of other recent games. While the process may sound simple in theory,Pokemon Homehas some specific compatibility policies regarding the transfer of Pokemon.
Pokemon Homehas connected the modern set ofPokemonreleases with its latest update, but there are various rules depending on the game the Pokemon originates from. The natural evolution of thePokemon Bankservice from generations past, this concept of transferring Pokemon between games goes back to the Pal Park and Time Capsules of classic entries. As these kinds of features have always simply focused on bringing older Pokemon into the latest game,Pokemon Homehas emerged as the most innovative evolution of the format yet presented in the franchise.
RELATED:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: Most Likely DLC Release Dates
Pokemon Home’s Backwards Transfer and Exclusives
WithPokemon Scarlet and Violetbeing the latest out of a slew of recent popularPokemontitles, many players are sure to have beloved creatures scattered across several different regions.Pokemon Homehas now come to have the anticipated feature of allowing Pokemon from games between last generation’sSword and Shield, and last year’sLegends: Arceusspin-off alike to be imported intoScarlet and Violet’s Paldea region.
Intergenerational backward compatibility has also been implemented throughtransfer fromPokemon Home. This means that any Pokemon the player has inScarlet and Violetthat also existed in a previously supported game is now able to be retroactively sent back into an older game, a first for the series at this scale.
The unexpected depth ofPokemon Home’s features doesn’t end there, however, since its ability to connect with other titles like the groundbreakingPokemon Legends: Arceushas brought brand-new exclusives into the ninth generation. DespiteLegends: Arceustaking place in an ancient version of the Sinnoh region, its uniqueHisuian regional forms of Pokemonhave somehow become available inPokemon Scarlet and Violetby transfer fromHome.
Furthermore, legendaries new to the game are now accessible for the first time due to recent remakes likeBrilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. While these previously missing Pokemon and new regional forms are transferable and able to be used now, there are also some inherent caveats to obtaining them in the latest games.
Pokemon Go Now Connects to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
New forms like the Hisui variants of classic Pokemon might be here now, but their respective new evolutions aren’t in the local Pokedex. For example, while Ursaluna is technically available inScarlet and Violetthrough transferring, an Ursaring will never evolve into an Ursaluna outside its appropriateLegends: Arceusenvironment.
This extends in a big way toPokemon Go, from which players can finally send Pokemon into the latest main games. The catch to this feature is that Pokemon can’t return toGoonce they have left, so trainers need to plan and make their transfers count.
The recent landmark update toPokemon Homehas come at a perfect time, with the upcomingScarlet and VioletDLCsset to arrive in the fall and winter of this year respectively. Many players are certain to be revisiting the Paldea region in anticipation of the newest adventure on the horizon, and the addition of favorites from accompanying releases and the ever-popularPokemon Gocan make it a fresher experience than ever.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare available now for Nintendo Switch.Pokemon Homeis also available on Switch.
MORE:How Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Allowed One Type to Finally Shine
