It looks like we just got a release date for the very first expansive DLC for Pokopia, Bubbly Basin, and it’s very, very soon. In fact, it’s out next week, on August 5.
This comes from a Japanese commercial, confirmed by Serebii. No other new details have been revealed yet, though we’ll likely see the full ad in the coming days.
Bubbly Basin was announced during Nintendo’s June Direct. In that Direct, we learned that a free update coming in August will give all players the ability to swim underwater. The DLC itself is part of a paid expansion pass that will add a brand new town to the game that’s themed around water and swimming underwater. It will introduce a number of additional Pokémon residents to the game, such as Mudkip and Popplio.
Two other updates are expected as a part of the expansion pass. The second update, later this year, will bring “additional new features,” though it’s unclear what those are. The third update will add another new town, but won’t be available until next year. The full expansion pass with all three DLC updates costs $35. At the moment, it does not seem like the three DLCs can be purchased separately. You do not need to purchase the DLC to gain access to the underwater dive ability in existing regions.
The ability to swim underwater has been a much-asked-for feature in Pokopia since launch, as players noticed resources were available underwater and were only accessible at times by sucking up the entire ocean. Pokopia itself is a really freakin’ great game that I dumped nearly 100 hours in without even batting an eye, and this update is absolutely going to suck me back into its watery depths.