The Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass DLC was first announced earlier this year, with players combing through the details from every announcement. Developer Game Freak has dropped a Wailord-sized announcement including how players will interact with wild Pokémon. It also revealed new details on what the Isle of Armor has in store for players. Game Freak further revealed some new Galarian forms and new footage of some Legendary Pokémon coming in The Isle Of Armor and The Crown Tundra, both included in the Expansion Pass.
Pokémon Sword and Shield adjusts to your team’s strength
The biggest news for players picking up the DLC is that enemy Pokémon are not set to specific levels. Both the NPC and wild Pokémon will change depending on the level of Pokémon in the player’s party. Speaking to IGN, Nintendo’s Demetrius Boggs confirmed that Pokémon can even match a player’s party if they have level 100 Pokémon. Additionally, players can gain access to the DLC region as soon as they get to the Wild Area in the main game. It also seems that the entirety of the DLC is effectively one giant Wild Area region. The whole island is explorable as soon as players step foot on the isle, and it will feature different environments and with specific Pokémon for each area.
Old friends are returning to The Isle of Armor
Returning to the DLC are several Pokémon previously not available in-game. Venusaur and Blastoise are back with Gigantamax forms this time around. Other familiar Pokémon include Alolan Diglett and a Galarian form of Slowbro. When asked about how the Pokémon Company chose which Pokémon would be included in The Isle of Armor, spokesman Elvin Gee said that it was chosen well in advance. The Pokémon from previous generations appear to have been picked before they had received wider feedback from players. Gee also revealed that the development of the expansion started before the main game’s release. Whether or not The Crown Tundra‘s returning Pokémon will be based on player feedback is still uncertain.
Don’t forget to check out the Gigantamax Max Raid event currently going on in Pokémon Sword and Shield where players can catch up to 22 Gigantamax Pokémon. The Isle of Armor is set to release June 17 on the Nintendo Switch as part of the Expansion Pass. Players only have a couple of days to make sure their teams are ready to take on new challenges.
