The Pokémon Company has announced that support for Pokémon Bank, the cloud-based storage service on the Nintendo 3DS, will officially end on February 25, 2027, at 7 p.m. PST. Launched in Japan in 2013 and globally in 2014, Pokémon Bank allowed players to store and transfer Pokémon between different 3DS titles. Initially a subscription service, it became free for users who had downloaded it prior to the Nintendo 3DS eShop's closure in 2023.
Players with Pokémon currently stored in Bank are advised to transfer them to the modern Pokémon Home service as soon as possible. Once a Pokémon is moved from Bank to Home, it cannot be transferred back. The process of moving Pokémon between the two services can be complex and may require multiple systems and games. To assist with this transition, an upcoming update to Pokémon Home in October will increase the deposit limit for Premium Plan subscribers to 9,000 Pokémon.
Fan sentiment surrounding the announcement has been largely somber. While many acknowledge that the end of the service was anticipated given the age of the platform, the closure represents the discontinuation of another method for preserving digital memories and collections. The attachment players form with their Pokémon is significant, and the news has highlighted a desire for more robust and accessible long-term preservation options for these digital companions.