It’s Simple Yet Overly Complicated
For generations Pokémon trainers have been transferring their favourite Pokémon from game to game. Not only do you get to keep your beloved Charizard to use for the fourth time in the newest game in the series, it also makes it a lot easier to overcome the dreaded task of completing the Pokedex.
The release of the Nintendo Switch threw a wrench in this tradition as players weren’t immediately able to transfer their Pokémon forward. The release of Pokémon HOME earlier this year allowed players the ability to transfer Pokémon from their 3DS games to the latest release, Pokémon Sword and Shield–or at least it offered the ability to transfer Pokémon available in the switch title, which with the release of the Isle of Armor and Crowned Tundra dlc, is still about 200 Pokémon short of a real completed dex.
Ever since the announcement of Pokémon HOME players have been waiting for the Pokémon GO update which will allow players to transfer Pokémon from their Pokémon GO account to Pokémon HOME. Well, at the time of writing this, the update is finally out and ready to be used! While it’s exciting to finally be able to transfer over all your shinies from GO, it is a bit of an overcomplicated process.
Note you do not need a Nintendo Switch Online membership (paid) or enrolment in the Pokémon HOME Premium Plan (paid) to transfer Pokémon. There are also restrictions on special event Pokemon that cannot be transferred to HOME. All Pokémon transferred from GO to HOME cannot be transferred back.
While we wish it was as simple as connecting the two accounts and pressing transfer, there is an extra mechanic that can be a bit of a hiccup for some–GO Transporter Energy.
Players will need to have enough GO Transporter Energy in order to make the transfer from GO to HOME. You charge your GO Transporter Energy you either have to wait a set amount of time, or pay a certain amount of coins. The amount of energy needed to transfer will vary from Pokémon to Pokémon.
This wait or pay feature has rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way as the process of transferring Pokémon hasn’t required a wait since Generation 4, and has never required a paying mechanic aside from having a subscription to Pokébank on the 3DS. What do you think of the new feature and its implementation?