Do You Need to Pay for Pokémon Bank to Get Pokémon Transporter? The Definitive Guide
The short answer is no, you no longer need to pay for Pokémon Bank to get Pokémon Transporter. As of March 27th, 2023, Nintendo discontinued the eShop service for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, making Pokémon Bank and its companion application, Poké Transporter, free to use for anyone who had downloaded them before the eShop closed.
This change was a significant boon for Pokémon fans looking to transfer their beloved creatures from older generations to more recent games. Before this date, access to both applications required a paid subscription to Pokémon Bank. However, there’s a crucial caveat: you needed to have downloaded Pokémon Bank before the eShop closure. If you missed that deadline, unfortunately, you won’t be able to obtain either application.
Understanding Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter
Pokémon Bank is essentially a cloud-based storage service for your Pokémon. It allows you to store up to 3,000 Pokémon from various Nintendo 3DS Pokémon titles. Think of it as a giant digital warehouse for all your digital pets!
Poké Transporter, on the other hand, acts as a bridge between older Pokémon games and Pokémon Bank. Specifically, it allows you to transfer Pokémon from Game Boy Advance titles like Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen, as well as Nintendo DS titles like Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, and the gen 5 Pokémon Black, White, Black 2, and White 2, into Pokémon Bank.
These Pokémon can then be transferred to newer games compatible with Pokémon HOME, Nintendo’s current cloud-based Pokémon storage service for the Nintendo Switch and mobile devices. This process is how you get your cherished Pokémon from games released years ago into current-generation titles.
How It All Worked Before March 27th, 2023
Prior to the eShop closure, the process was a bit more convoluted. You had to:
- Download Pokémon Bank from the Nintendo eShop.
- Purchase an annual subscription for Pokémon Bank.
- Download Poké Transporter through Pokémon Bank. Poké Transporter was not available as a standalone download on the eShop. You needed an active Pokémon Bank subscription to access its download page.
- Insert a compatible Pokémon game (either a physical cartridge or a digital download) into your 3DS.
- Use Poké Transporter to move Pokémon from the older games into Pokémon Bank.
This system meant you were paying for the privilege of transferring your Pokémon, which understandably caused some frustration among players.
The Current State of Affairs: Free (With a Catch)
Now that the eShop has closed, and Pokémon Bank is free, the process is simpler if you already had Pokémon Bank downloaded. You can now use both Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter without paying a subscription fee. However, the major restriction is the inability to download the applications if you didn’t do so before March 27th, 2023.
If you’re in the fortunate position of having downloaded Pokémon Bank, you can now access Poké Transporter through the Pokémon Bank application and transfer your Pokémon. Then, to move the Pokémon to modern games, you need Pokémon HOME and potentially a Pokémon HOME Premium Plan (depending on the number of Pokémon you wish to transfer).
Transferring to Pokémon HOME: The Next Step
It’s important to note that Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter are essentially a stepping stone. They allow you to get your Pokémon from older games onto the 3DS. The final destination for most players is Pokémon HOME on the Nintendo Switch.
To transfer Pokémon from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon HOME, you will need:
- A Nintendo Switch and a Nintendo Account.
- The Pokémon HOME application downloaded on your Nintendo Switch and/or mobile device.
- A Premium Plan for Pokémon HOME may be required, as the free version has limitations on the number of Pokémon you can store and transfer.
The transfer process involves using the Nintendo Network ID linked to your 3DS to connect Pokémon Bank to Pokémon HOME. Once connected, you can move your Pokémon to Pokémon HOME and then transfer them to compatible Nintendo Switch games like Pokémon Scarlet, Pokémon Violet, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, or Pokémon Shining Pearl.
What if You Missed the Download Deadline?
Unfortunately, if you didn’t download Pokémon Bank before the Nintendo eShop closed, you cannot download it now. This means you cannot obtain Poké Transporter either. The only recourse in such cases is to borrow a 3DS with the apps already downloaded or to resign yourself to leaving those Pokémon in the older games. It’s a harsh reality, but the closure of the eShop made acquiring these applications impossible.
While the focus has shifted to digital games and related platforms, it’s important to remember that learning through gaming is still very popular today! You can read more about learning through games at the GamesLearningSociety.org website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Pokémon Bank completely free now?
Yes, Pokémon Bank is completely free to use if you had downloaded it before the Nintendo eShop closed on March 27th, 2023. No subscription fee is required.
2. Can I still download Pokémon Bank from the eShop?
No, the Nintendo eShop for the 3DS has closed, making it impossible to download Pokémon Bank or Poké Transporter.
3. Do I need Poké Transporter to use Pokémon Bank?
You only need Poké Transporter if you want to transfer Pokémon from older Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS Pokémon games (e.g., Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, Diamond, Pearl) into Pokémon Bank. If you only have Pokémon games from the 3DS era (e.g., X, Y, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon), you don’t need Poké Transporter.
4. Is Pokémon HOME the same as Pokémon Bank?
No, Pokémon HOME is the successor to Pokémon Bank and is available on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices. Pokémon Bank is only available on the Nintendo 3DS.
5. Do I need a Pokémon HOME Premium Plan to transfer from Pokémon Bank?
Potentially, yes. The free version of Pokémon HOME has limitations on the number of Pokémon you can store. If you have a large collection in Pokémon Bank, you might need the Premium Plan to transfer them all to Pokémon HOME.
6. Can I transfer Pokémon directly from older games (e.g., Ruby, Sapphire) to Pokémon HOME?
No, you cannot transfer directly from older games to Pokémon HOME. You must first use Poké Transporter to move them to Pokémon Bank on the 3DS, and then transfer them from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon HOME on the Nintendo Switch.
7. I downloaded Pokémon Bank before the eShop closed, but it says “free trial.” Is that normal?
Yes, this is normal. Nintendo implemented the free access as a “free trial” with an extended duration rather than committing to permanent server operation, but it’s essentially free access for anyone who downloaded it before the deadline.
8. What happens if Pokémon Bank eventually shuts down?
Nintendo has stated that Pokémon Bank support “may also end at some point in the future.” Therefore, it is highly recommended to transfer all your Pokémon from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon HOME as soon as possible to ensure they are not lost.
9. Can I use the same Nintendo Account on two 3DS consoles to download Pokémon Bank?
No, you cannot link the same Nintendo Network account to multiple Nintendo 3DS family systems simultaneously.
10. I can’t remember if I downloaded Pokémon Bank before the eShop closed. How can I check?
Check the Nintendo eShop download history on your 3DS. If you downloaded Pokémon Bank before March 27th, 2023, it will appear in your download history.
11. Is there a way to get Pokémon Transporter if I didn’t download Pokémon Bank before the eShop closed?
Unfortunately, no. As Poké Transporter could only be downloaded through Pokémon Bank, and Pokémon Bank is no longer available for download, there’s no legitimate way to obtain Poké Transporter if you missed the deadline.
12. Can I transfer Pokémon from Pokémon GO to Pokémon Bank?
No, you cannot transfer Pokémon directly from Pokémon GO to Pokémon Bank. You can transfer Pokémon from Pokémon GO to Pokémon HOME using the GO Transporter feature in Pokémon GO.
13. Is Pokémon Bank available on the Nintendo Switch?
No, Pokémon Bank is exclusively available on the Nintendo 3DS.
14. What is the maximum number of Pokémon I can store in Pokémon Bank?
You can store up to 3,000 Pokémon in Pokémon Bank.
15. I have two different 3DS consoles, each with different Pokémon games. Can I combine the Pokémon from both consoles into Pokémon HOME?
Yes, as long as both 3DS consoles had Pokémon Bank downloaded before the eShop closure. You would need to transfer the Pokemon into Pokémon Bank first on each console, then transfer them to the same Pokémon HOME account.