After years of being a paid service, Pokémon Bank is now free for all to use, albeit, with a catch. That catch should be pretty obvious for those that have been keeping up with the recent 3DS and Wii U news.
Pokémon Bank allows you to store your creatures from 3DS Pokémon games to transfer into other games. Previously, the service required a rolling membership to use, but the death of Nintendo’s eShop has killed the membership, making not free.
Fans who have already downloaded the app before the 3DS and Wii U eShop closed are free to use it as much as they like. Unfortunately, anyone who didn’t download the app before the eShop’s closure will no longer be able to do so.
This news isn’t too bad for those that already transferred their critters from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon Home. However, those that only found out about the news will no longer be able to do so. It’s only a real shame for those still playing their 3DS games, though we assume that most have already migrated to the Switch.
Believe it or not, The Pokémon Company did a lot to make this app relevant. Aside from being used to transfer Pokémon from the DS games to 3DS, games like Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow were given Bank support. Granted, this was only for the 3DS re-releases of those games but that’s still a great way to get your classic critters.
It was really disappointing to see Nintendo close the eShops for 3DS and Wii U, especially since Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 still have online stores. Despite not having the best internet, the 3DS, and Wii U were home to classic games we still can’t get on Switch, like the classic Pokémon games.
Pokémon fans will likely find a way to keep Pokémon Bank up for years to come. Those with a modded Nintendo 3DS will absolutely be able to download the service, but those who don’t have one will miss out forever.
Read More: Pokémon TCG judge banned from all tournaments after harassing trans competitors
Despite all that, it’s good to have the services of Pokémon Bank, especially since the service is now free of charge. Aside from the massive caveat of still having a 3DS and Pokémon Bank downloaded, players can only transfer their friends to Pokémon Home if they have a paid account.