Should You Buy the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass? — Full Breakdown of All 3 DLC Parts, the Free Dive Update & The $35 Question

Pokopia is going underwater — but should your wallet go with it? 2Nintendo and The Pokémon Company revealed during Tuesday’s Nintendo Direct that Pokémon Pokopia — the Switch 2 life sim that has sold more than 4 million copies since its March 5 launch — is getting a paid three-part Expansion Pass and a free software update, both arriving in August 2026.1 If you regularly play Pokémon Pokopia, the expansion pass looks like a worthwhile investment. But at $34.99 for content that won’t be fully delivered until 2027, the decision isn’t as simple as it sounds.

Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass — Overview

What’s in Each DLC Part?

Part 1: Bubbly Basin (August 2026) — The Headliner

1 The first expansion, Bubbly Basin, launches in August 2026 and introduces a new underwater town and a new set of Pokémon. 1 Players will be able to discover new environments, decorate with exclusive furniture sets, and unlock new outfits for Ditto.

12 This is a fully submerged area with mermaid-themed furniture, coral-shaped plants, and plenty of water-type Pokémon.

Part 2: New Features (Late 2026) — The Mystery

1 The second DLC wave is scheduled for late 2026 and will add new gameplay features and additional crafting recipes.

6 The description for the pass on the eShop states that there is no new town for Part 2, just that it’s adding new features. No details on what those features are.

Part 3: New Town (2027) — The Long Wait

1 The third and final expansion arrives in 2027 and will center around a new town.

6 The original game felt like it could use some more biomes (like where’s all the Ice Pokémon). Fans on Reddit and ResetEra are widely hoping Part 3 delivers a snowy, Ice-type-focused town to complement the underwater theme of Part 1.

The FREE Dive Update — You Get This Without Paying

This is crucial to understand: 1a major highlight arriving alongside this DLC is the free Version 2.0 update, which introduces the Dive move, allowing underwater exploration. 1Although the Dive feature is free for all players, Bubbly Basin expands on that experience.

2 Existing players who skip the purchase entirely will still gain access to the new Dive ability, which lets Ditto explore and build underwater for the first time. 2 The Dive ability, granted to players’ Ditto through the free August software update, opens the ocean floor as buildable terrain. To unlock it, players must complete the “Raise the Environment Level” request at Bleak Beach, a step that requires both the Jump ability and the Surf move to already be active.

How to Prepare for the Dive Update (Free for Everyone)

You don’t need the Expansion Pass to unlock Dive, but you do need to prepare:

2 To be ready for the free Dive update, players should prioritize unlocking both the Jump ability and the Surf move through normal gameplay progression. Both are prerequisites for the Bleak Beach request that grants Dive.

Purchase Bonuses — What You Get Immediately

3 Players who purchase the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass DLC can claim a recipe for dynamic Ditto print blocks and wallpaper, which is redeemable for use in-game upon purchase. Also, players who purchase the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass DLC by Tuesday, August 31, 2027, will receive a code for 30 rare Pokémetal ingots. This code will be sent to the email address registered to the player’s Nintendo Account and can be redeemed via the Mystery Gifts feature in-game.

The $35 Question — Is It Worth It?

✅ BUY If:

• 1 You regularly play Pokémon Pokopia. Not only does the DLC promise more gameplay hours but also more and expanded building options, decorations, and exploration.
• You want Mudkip, Popplio, and Corphish as neighbors
• You’re already at Bleak Beach and ready for underwater content
• 1 For fans planning to spend more time in Pokopia, the expansion pass offers enough upcoming content to justify its cost.

❌ WAIT If:

• 1 Casual players may want to wait until more details about Parts 2 and 3 are revealed.
• You haven’t finished the base game yet
• 6 It’s “out” as such, it’s £29.99 and then the content comes in August. So you don’t get anything between now and then.
• 2 Whether the Expansion Pass is worth purchasing depends on how much content is eventually revealed for Parts 2 and 3.

❌ SKIP If:

• You’re a very casual player who only plays occasionally
• $35 feels steep for 2 new towns and some crafting recipes spread over 18 months
• You’re saving for other major 2026 releases

The Value Comparison — How Does It Stack Up?

At $34.99, the Pokopia Expansion Pass is priced identically to the Scarlet/Violet DLC. The difference? We knew exactly what both parts of that DLC included at announcement. 6Did they really have to sell the DLCs in a bundle and force you to purchase them all together instead of letting you choose? We don’t even know what the second and third DLCs are going to be.

What the Community Is Saying

The reaction has been mixed — excitement tempered by pricing concerns:10 Some fans noted it’s “a bit disappointing that it either got scaled back from 4 new areas to just 2 or they’re planning to charge for a 2nd pass. Pokopia will be $140 by the end if that’s the case.”

On the other hand, 6others said “this is exactly what Pokopia needed to really give it a unique feeling. Plus this gives whole new possibilities to areas like the harbor area with the land broken up by water.”9 With both the Expansion Pass DLC and this free update arriving together, Pokémon Pokopia looks set to offer players hundreds of additional hours of content.

The Leaked DLC Plans — Is More Coming?

Here’s an interesting wrinkle: 10leaked data pointed to five new towns, so fans wonder what the plan is. The current Expansion Pass only includes two new towns (Bubbly Basin + Part 3), raising the question of whether a second Expansion Pass could follow.10 As much as fans love the game, many agree that if they continue with more $35 passes for two maps each, that is a huge ask.

How to Buy the Expansion Pass

5 The additional content from the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass DLC will be released in three parts, but one purchase gets you access to everything.

For a complete overview of the Pokémon franchise and its gaming history, visit the official Pokémon Wikipedia page.

The Bottom Line

1 The upcoming Pokémon Pokopia expansion pass is set to put out a steady stream of fresh content. The Dive mechanic alone transforms how you interact with the world — and it’s free. Bubbly Basin adds genuine new exploration, Pokémon, and customization that dedicated players will love.

But at $34.99 with two of three parts still shrouded in mystery, the value proposition requires trust. If you’re a daily Pokopia player who’s already explored every corner of the base game, buy it now and enjoy the Ditto print bonus. If you’re more casual, wait until Part 2 details emerge — there’s no deadline pressure, and the content isn’t arriving until August anyway.

Either way, Mudkip is coming to Pokopia. And honestly? That alone might be worth it. 🌊💙

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