Guide: All returning Pokémon coming to Sword and Shield Expansion Pass

[bobandbill]

EDIT: Should have all of them now. Thanks, dataminers!

 

[Outlander]

Volcarona is back! This makes me very happy 😊

 

[budube]

I find it weird that at first gf was like "dex cut is for a more balanced metagame" but now they are putting Garchomp, Volcarona and all the legendaries

 

[SceptileActual]

Yet more lying from gamefreak, deleting mons for the "meta", but here they are adding them anyways? Pity, good thing I have all my old pearl and ss card to play until they release their next game. Shame.

 

[TailsMK4]

So to get my actual favorite, I'd need the Isle of Armor bit of the pass. Still going to pass on this game as these Pokemon should have been in the base game. My hope is that Rescue Team DX gets better treatment than Sword and Shield...

 

[Nanusmightyena]

I'm upset Mightyena isn't on there, but not surprised. It's pretty cool they brought back Lyncanroc though. He's pretty high up there on my list of favorites.

 

[Saиdmaи]

I think it's dumb in the first place that regular Pokémon are technically more rare than legendaries. Cut out most of the legendaries and add those in DLC's, events or whatever.
Don't own the game myself but I still have an issue with it not having the National Dex. It's not a bad or wrong decision but me personally am not a fan of it.

 

[Sheep]

Several of these are ones I adore (Rockruff line, Larvesta line, Zorua line among others), so I'm happy with the news!! Can only hope Mareep will make it, but personally doubtful tbh.... :''<

 

[Cherrim]

I'm happy to see the Magenemite line back!

C'moooon Nosepass. 🙏🏻

 

[Fairy]

Azurill line <3333

Also Volcarona too!

 

[Azuviin]

Welcome back Garchomp and Zorua <3 Really happy with all the Sinnoh legendaries as well.

 

[UlrickVGCMasters]

Yes Garchomp is gonna make Galar Region feel like home <3

 

[Fairy]

You know what? I'm happy to see the Beldum and Chansey lines make a return too. ( ˘ ³˘)♡

 

[Pekin]

It just feels like getting more available Pokémon in a Pokémon game through DLC isn't something that should be celebrated. The DLCs themselves look cool and all, and I guess with the time constraints I imagine Gamefreak were under, it's better to see them update SwSh rather than release another unfinished game. Still, I firmly believe that every Pokémon could have been in the game from the start, and I'm still not buying the games. If we get any news that they're putting every Pokémon in eventually, then I'll probably buy the game, but it looks like that won't be happening.

 

[Lunar]

Okay Zorua and Absol are here so I'm hype. But seriously, this is some great news, we're getting some fan favourites back and a heck of a lot of legendaries!

 

[DragonKing48]

It just feels like getting more available Pokémon in a Pokémon game through DLC isn't something that should be celebrated. The DLCs themselves look cool and all, and I guess with the time constraints I imagine Gamefreak were under, it's better to see them update SwSh rather than release another unfinished game. Still, I firmly believe that every Pokémon could have been in the game from the start, and I'm still not buying the games. If we get any news that they're putting every Pokémon in eventually, then I'll probably buy the game, but it looks like that won't be happening.

I fully believe they all return by the end of this, since there's never before been a game where all pokemon weren't made available in one way or another until now.

 

[thedarkdragon11]

DPPt legends are returning? So, does that mean the chances of a remake is lowered? Or a Gigantamax-ish gimmick for those legends will be available should there be one?

 

[Hiroshi Sotomura]

Just worth noting — while TPC has indicated that the Pokémon are being added and made available via the Expansion Pass, they're being added to the base game as an update, too, so you'll be able to access them by updating the game and transferring them using Pokémon Home.

It just feels like getting more available Pokémon in a Pokémon game through DLC isn't something that should be celebrated. The DLCs themselves look cool and all, and I guess with the time constraints I imagine Gamefreak were under, it's better to see them update SwSh rather than release another unfinished game. Still, I firmly believe that every Pokémon could have been in the game from the start, and I'm still not buying the games. If we get any news that they're putting every Pokémon in eventually, then I'll probably buy the game, but it looks like that won't be happening.

Thankfully they're merely catchable via the DLC. They're still being added into the base game itself by means of update. They could still add more of the previous Pokémon, but I think it's likelier they might try to justify a brand new game (or a remake) instead.

Yet more lying from gamefreak, deleting mons for the "meta", but here they are adding them anyways? Pity, good thing I have all my old pearl and ss card to play until they release their next game. Shame.

Is it lying or time constraints? Even so, they're not adding every Pokémon anyway, just another subset that they could have chosen to balance out. (Fingers crossed.)

I find it weird that at first gf was like "dex cut is for a more balanced metagame" but now they are putting Garchomp, Volcarona and all the legendaries

Given the time between release and the release of this, I wouldn't actually be surprised if they have been working on balancing the metagame. Of course how to view the base, non-updated Sword/Shield's balance, YMMV. It remains to be seen if these additions absolutely maintain the metagame, or… wreck it.

 

[bobandbill]

Is it lying or time constraints? Even so, they're not adding every Pokémon anyway, just another subset that they could have chosen to balance out. (Fingers crossed.)

If it's time constraints then it is lying - by saying it was about redoing models from scratch (not true bar textures and minor touchups) or game balance (not the case), etc. So lying with other reasons that do not hold up. I get that saying they don't have time for things isn't ideal either, but it'd have helped a lot with how dexit resulted.

(And yes, this article was updated; please let me know of anything missed!)

 

[bobandbill]

One more added - Skarmory! From a separate Japanese ad.