The Pokémon series is finally adding paid DLC content, as Game Freak has announced that Pokémon Sword & Shield will be receiving two expansions in the form of new Wild Areas filled with new characters, items, and Pokémon. Nintendo recently announced a new Pokémon Direct, which many fans suggested would reveal downloadable content for Pokémon Sword & Shield, rather than focusing on new games.

There has been a lot of speculation about what would be revealed during the Pokémon Direct and Game Freak has finally confirmed that paid DLC would be coming to Pokémon Sword & Shield. There are two DLC packs known as the Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, both of which add expansive new areas to the Galar region that are composed of massive Wild Areas.

The Pokémon Direct (which has been archived on the Nintendo UK YouTube page) has announced the Expansion Pass for Pokémon Sword & Shield. The first DLC update is called the Isle of Armor and it’s focused on a dojo run by Mustard; a former Champion and the mentor of Leon. Both games will have their own new rivals in the form of Klara (a Poison-type user in Sword) and Avery (a Psychic-type user in Shield). A new Fighting-type Legendary Pokémon called Kubfu will be part of the story and it will evolve into two different forms of a Pokémon called Urshifu, based on its two different fighting styles with their own Gigantamax forms.

The final forms of the three starter Pokémon in Pokémon Sword & Shield are gaining Gigantamax forms and the Bulbasaur and Squirtle lines are returning and gaining Gigantamax forms, though we knew these Pokémon were returning as they were found in the files of Pokémon Sword & Shield. The Isle of Armor is adding new clothes, new bikes, Apricorns, an Exp. Charm, and Tutor Moves. The Crown Tundra is themed around exploration and is set in a snow-covered realm with a new Legendary Grass/Psychic-type Pokémon called Calyrex. The player character becomes the leader of an exploration team and they can actually enter Pokémon Dens. Both of the DLC packs will add over two hundred pieces of clothing and hairstyles, over two hundred Pokémon from the older games are returning, and they both consist of huge open maps in the manner of the Wild Area from the Galar region.

Pokémon Sword & Shield were surrounded by controversy in the run-up to release, as fans were furious that Pokémon were cut from the game. The new Pokémon that are being added to the DLC will also be added to the base game in free updates, so there won’t be any paywalls preventing players from battling and trading. It’s an exciting time to be a Pokémon fan and it seems as if the adventures in the Galar region won’t be ending anytime soon.

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Pokemon Sword & Shield are available now on Nintendo Switch. The Isle of Armor will be available in June 2020, while The Crown Tundra will be available in Fall 2020. The Expansion Pass with both DLC costs $29.99/£26.99.

Source: Nintendo UK/YouTube