The end of an era is coming for Pokemon fans, as support for Pokemon Bank will come to an end in 2027. Over the years, Pokemon fans have had multiple opportunities to import their favorites from previous games into the newer generations. This has been a staple for decades, and players can currently move Pokemon from every mainline game since Ruby and Sapphire‘s release on Game Boy Advance in 2002. It takes a few steps, but it gives players the ability to use some of their oldest Pokemon in modern games like Pokemon Champions.
Big changes are coming to Pokemon Home in October, allowing players to use the service with Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. The Game Boy Advance remakes were re-released on Nintendo Switch earlier in 2026, and now players will have the chance to move Pokemon caught in those games over to Pokemon Home. Other changes are happening this year, including greater box space and the option to bring over Pokemon caught in Safari Balls from Pokemon GO.
Pokemon Bank Support Comes to an End in 2027
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Image via The Pokemon Company -
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Image via Game Freak
Following the other Pokemon Home announcements, The Pokemon Company also revealed that Pokemon Bank will cease operations starting on February 26, 2027. Pokemon Bank was made free to use in 2023, following the closure of the eShop on Nintendo 3DS. The service remains the only way to migrate Pokemon from games released on GBA, DS, and 3DS over to Nintendo Switch. Once the service comes to an end next year, players will no longer have any official way to do so, effectively leaving them stranded in their original games.
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Fans have known for a while that there were plans to shut down Pokemon Bank at some point in the future, but now there’s an official date to keep in mind. A specific reason for the decision has not been provided, but Pokemon Bank was released more than a decade ago, and the app has not been available for download since the 3DS eShop’s closure. It stands to reason that few players are still taking advantage of this option, since Pokemon Home has been available since 2020.
Despite the advance warning, there are a lot of people disappointed about what Pokemon Bank’s closure means for the franchise. There are several Pokemon games that have never been released on Switch, and players that want to import Pokemon from games like X and Y or Black and White won’t be able to do so anymore once that deadline comes to an end. The Pokemon Company is effectively shutting the door on one era.
Fortunately, it seems Nintendo and The Pokemon Company are planning to bring more old Pokemon games to the eShop. Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are rumored for Switch, with a release in September or October. An official announcement has not been made, but there has been speculation about these Game Boy Advance classics since FireRed and LeafGreen‘s arrival. That could ease the sting of Pokemon Bank‘s closure for some fans, but there are still a lot more classic games that need to be playable on Switch in some form.
