Pokémon Pokopia Receives Free Underwater Update and Paid Expansion Pass
Nintendo announced a free underwater diving update for Pokémon Pokopia, coming in August 2026, alongside a paid Expansion Pass with new towns, Pokémon, furniture, and outfits. The free update introduces the Dive move, allowing protagonist Ditto to explore underwater environments and build habitats for aquatic Pokémon. The content previews themes from the upcoming mainline title Pokémon Winds and Waves, which is slated for some point in 2027.
During a Nintendo Direct showcase on June 9, 2026, Nintendo revealed that Pokémon Pokopia — a cozy life sim blending elements of Minecraft, Animal Crossing, and Dragon Quest Builders — will receive a free update in August 2026 adding underwater mechanics via the Dive move. Players will be able to build habitats for aquatic Pokémon such as Vaporeon, Magikarp, and Poliwag, expanding on a feature fans had previously only approximated through workarounds. Alongside the free update, Nintendo announced a paid Expansion Pass comprising three content drops: Part 1, Bubbly Basin, is available for purchase today and launches in August, featuring an underwater town, new Pokémon including Popplio and Mudkip, new furniture, and outfits for Ditto. A second drop with additional new features is scheduled for later in 2026, and a third drop introducing another new town is planned for 2027. The underwater focus of this content notably mirrors the ocean-exploration premise of the upcoming mainline game Pokémon Winds and Waves, giving fans an early taste of that setting ahead of its undetermined 2027 release.
What's missing
The pricing of the Expansion Pass and whether individual DLC packs can be purchased à la carte at different price points than the bundle has not been clearly detailed across either source.
What different sources said
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