3DS owners need to download Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter before eShop closes
Nintendo is shutting down the 3DS eShop in less than two weeks on March 27, 2023, and Pokemon fans need to download Pokemon Bank & Poke Transporter before their creatures are lost forever.
On March 27, Nintendo will shut down the eShop for the 3DS and Wii U. This means players will no longer be able to purchase digital games for those systems or redownload demos/freeware. This includes the 3DS Pokemon transfer software Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter.
Since Pokemon games only allow a limited number of Pokemon to be caught in each game, Game Freak has developed additional software for players to store unused monsters. The first iteration of this software was on the 3DS in the form of Pokemon Bank. While it worked seamlessly with 3DS titles, players needed Poke Transporter to transfer creatures from Gen 5 onto their modern hardware.
However, after the launch of the Nintendo Switch, Pokemon Bank was no longer compatible with the new console, and Game Freak would launch the new and improved Pokemon HOME. Luckily, players could transfer their Pokemon from Bank to HOME, so they weren’t stuck on the 3DS. But that may not be the case for some players much longer.
Download Pokemon Bank and Poke Transfer ASAP
Despite the Nintendo eShop’s demise, Pokemon Bank and Poke Transfer will still work like normal after the platform shuts down. However, players won’t be able to download them if they aren’t already on their 3DS.
Even if players have downloaded them in the past, they won’t be able to re-download them as they fall under Nintendo’s “free software and demos” category, which will no longer be available.
After March 27, if players do not have Pokemon Bank and Poke Transfer downloaded, they will not be able to transfer any Pokemon from Gen 7 and before to their Pokemon HOME account.
Will Pokemon Bank still cost money?
No, players will not have to pay for a Pokemon Bank subscription after the eShop shuts down on March 27.
Currently, it costs $4.99 annually to use Pokemon Bank to store and transfer Pokemon. This is in addition to the $15.99 annual fee for Pokemon HOME’s premium plan. But players will only have to pay the Pokemon HOME fee once the eShop is shut down.
Poke Transporter will also remain a free service.
How to transfer Pokemon from Bank to HOME
First, players will need to make sure they download Pokemon Bank onto their Nintendo 3DS before March 27, 2023. They must also download Pokemon HOME on their Nintendo Switch or mobile device.
Once both softwares are downloaded, follow the instructions below:
- Open Pokemon Bank on your 3DS
- Select Move Pokemon to Pokemon HOME from the main menu
- Select boxes you want to transfer (you cannot select individual Pokemon)
- Open Pokemon HOME on Nintendo Switch or Mobile Device
- On Mobile Device, press the green Menu icon, then select Options, and select Move Pokemon
- On Nintendo Switch, select the 3DS Icon, then Begin Move
- Enter the Moving Key that is generated in Pokemon HOME into Pokemon Bank
- Wait for the transfer to complete
It is important to note that Pokemon transferred from the 3DS to Pokemon HOME cannot be transferred back.
