The Pokemon Company's cloud storage companion Pokemon Home was downloaded over a million times on mobile devices in its first week of release. Not only does it offer trainers the opportunity to store monsters inaccessible in Sword and Shield, it also allows them to trade between titles like Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee; as well as trade over the Internet using the GTS and Wonder Box systems.
Pokemon Home's mobile component updated to version 1.1.0. last week, making it compatible with Sword and Shield's DLC. It also fixed a number of bugs while adding the "Battle Data" feature that allows users to check their own and other players' online records for ranked battles and competitions. Most importantly for players who utilize trading services, "enhancements" were implemented such as shortening the time needed to complete Wonder Box trades, providing up to 10 free group Room Trades, and also opening up the Friend Trade feature to online rather than just local play.
Unfortunately the update says these enhancements for Pokemon Home will only be available for a limited time. There's no indication as to when they will go away, just the promise that a second notice will go out to tell players when it will be ending, so anyone interested in sending a Pokemon to one of their registered friends around the world should get on that as soon as possible.
It's bizarre for Pokemon Home to add in a feature as useful as worldwide friend trading for a limited time, especially when the service's living Pokedex requirement is hard to accomplish and may be easier with this feature. Perhaps the limited addition is a test for the permanent version coming down the line, but with online trading already available this seems like a stretch.
Alongside these additions came a number of reveals on account of the connectivity with Sword and Shield's Isle of Armor DLC. Players were able to datamine 21 new moves through Pokemon Home after the version update took effect, moves that will likely correspond with new monsters coming alongside returning Pokemon in the two expansions.
With the Isle of Armor DLC coming in June, Pokemon Sword and Shield have been keeping up small-scale events for players in the meantime. A hidden ability Galarian Mr. Mime is currently available through mystery gift, but anyone who wants to trade this new addition with a friend through Pokemon Home should act quickly.
Pokemon Home is available now for Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.
