The Pokémon Pokopia Bubbly Basin DLC will take players beyond the beaches and into a completely new underwater settlement. Rather than functioning as a small collection of cosmetic items, Bubbly Basin appears to expand the game’s building, exploration and Pokémon-collecting systems into an environment that works differently from the towns available in the base game.
It is also the first part of the paid Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass, which includes three planned content drops. Nintendo has already confirmed several features for Bubbly Basin, including a new underwater town, additional Pokémon, themed furniture and a new outfit for Ditto.
However, some important details remain unannounced. Nintendo has not revealed the full Pokémon list, the size of the new town or the exact number of quests and furniture items included. Here is everything currently confirmed about Bubbly Basin.
What Is Bubbly Basin?
The Pokémon Pokopia Bubbly Basin DLC introduces a new town located entirely underwater. Players will reach it by using the Dive ability added through Pokémon Pokopia’s free content update.
Once inside the area, players will be able to explore the ocean floor, meet Pokémon, place structures and develop a new settlement. Nintendo’s description suggests that this will be more than a short story location. Bubbly Basin is being presented as another town that players can shape and improve over time.
The underwater setting should also give the developers room to introduce furniture and building pieces that would not fit naturally into the existing surface settlements. Nintendo has not yet revealed individual item names, but the area appears to have its own visual theme rather than simply reusing decorations from the base game.
Pokémon Pokopia Bubbly Basin Release Date
Bubbly Basin is scheduled for August 2026, although Nintendo has not announced an exact release date.
Some confusion has been caused by separate listings on the Nintendo US store that display October 31, 2026. Similar listings also show fixed dates for later Expansion Pass content, even though Nintendo’s main product description divides those updates into broader release windows.
Nintendo’s European game pages, support information and primary Expansion Pass schedule continue to list Bubbly Basin for August 2026. For that reason, October 31 should not currently be treated as the confirmed launch date. It is more likely to be a temporary store deadline or technical placeholder.
Until Nintendo provides a specific day, August 2026 remains the safest and most accurate release window.
Is Bubbly Basin Free?
No. Bubbly Basin is included in the paid Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass, which costs $34.99 in the United States.
The Expansion Pass includes all three planned DLC parts in a single purchase. The sections cannot currently be purchased separately, and players must also own the main Pokémon Pokopia game.
This is where the difference between the DLC and the free update becomes important.
The Dive ability and general underwater exploration are part of the free update. Players will be able to travel across the ocean floor, grow grass, construct buildings and create underwater spaces without buying the Expansion Pass.
Bubbly Basin itself is paid content. The new town, its Pokémon encounters, additional furniture and Ditto outfit are part of the Expansion Pass.
In other words, the free update unlocks the broader underwater systems, while the Pokémon Pokopia Bubbly Basin DLC adds a dedicated settlement built around them.
How to Access Bubbly Basin
Players will need to meet several progression requirements before entering Bubbly Basin.
The most important requirement is learning Dive, which is added through the free update. Players must also complete the important request called “Raise the environment level!” in the Bleak Beach area.
Nintendo also lists jumping and Surf among the abilities required to reach the underwater entrance. This means players cannot access Bubbly Basin immediately after starting the game, even if they already own the Expansion Pass.
Some guides have described the requirement more generally as completing the game’s main quests. That wording may give the impression that the entire story must be finished first. Nintendo’s current information points to a more specific condition: players need to progress far enough to complete the required Bleak Beach request and obtain the necessary traversal abilities.
The confirmed access requirements are:
- Own the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass
- Install the free update
- Learn Dive
- Unlock jumping
- Learn Surf
- Complete “Raise the environment level!” in Bleak Beach
Nintendo may provide a more detailed access guide closer to release.
What Does Bubbly Basin Add?
Bubbly Basin expands several of Pokémon Pokopia’s core activities instead of introducing a completely separate style of gameplay.
Players will use Dive to move through underwater areas, discover new locations and reach the entrance to the town. After arriving, they will be able to modify the environment, place structures and develop the settlement using the same creative systems found elsewhere in Pokopia.
Confirmed additions include:
- A new underwater town
- New Pokémon encounters
- Additional furniture
- A new outfit for Ditto
- Underwater construction and decoration
- New areas reached by using Dive
The underwater location could make town planning feel noticeably different. Building around the ocean floor, aquatic plants and underwater pathways may require a different approach from designing a settlement on open land.
Nintendo has not confirmed whether Bubbly Basin will include exclusive story missions, special residents or unique progression systems. More information will likely arrive before the DLC launches.
Which New Pokémon Have Been Shown?
Popplio has been clearly shown in official Bubbly Basin material. Nintendo’s description of the expansion also mentions Ditto meeting Popplio while exploring underwater.
Mudkip has appeared in promotional footage as well, making it another Pokémon associated with the new content.
However, Nintendo has not released a complete list of Pokémon appearing in Bubbly Basin. It would therefore be premature to assume that every Water-type Pokémon shown elsewhere in Pokémon Pokopia will be part of the town.
For now, Popplio and Mudkip are the safest examples to mention. The full selection may include additional aquatic and amphibious Pokémon, but those should remain unconfirmed until Nintendo publishes more details.
New Furniture and Ditto Outfits
Nintendo has confirmed that Bubbly Basin will add new furniture and a new outfit for Ditto.
The company has not revealed the complete furniture catalogue, crafting recipes or the method used to unlock the outfit. It is also unclear whether some decorations will be tied to quests, Pokémon friendships or town development milestones.
What seems likely is that Bubbly Basin will introduce a separate underwater design theme rather than simply adding a few unrelated decorations to the existing towns. The environment shown so far includes aquatic plants, submerged structures and open areas built around underwater movement.
Players should avoid expecting specific sets such as coral furniture or mermaid-themed items until Nintendo officially names them.
Expansion Pass Purchase Bonuses
The Expansion Pass also includes bonuses that are separate from the main Bubbly Basin content.
Players who purchase the pass can receive an in-game recipe for dynamic Ditto print blocks and wallpaper. The recipe can be claimed through the Downloadable Content section of the main menu.
A workbench must be unlocked before the items can be crafted. Nintendo estimates that players should reach this point after approximately 30 minutes of normal gameplay.
Eligible purchases may also include an emailed code for 30 Rare Pokémetal ingots. The code can be redeemed through Mystery Gifts.
These ingots are not exclusive to the Expansion Pass. They can also be earned during regular gameplay, so the bonus mainly provides players with additional materials earlier than usual.
What Are Part 2 and Part 3?
The Expansion Pass includes three planned content releases.
Part 1 – Bubbly Basin: August 2026
The first part adds the underwater town, new Pokémon, furniture and a Ditto outfit.
Part 2: Late 2026
Part 2 will introduce new features for developing Pokémon towns. Nintendo has specifically stated that this update will not add another new town.
That distinction matters because the three-part structure may otherwise suggest that each update includes a separate settlement.
Part 3: 2027
The final part of the Expansion Pass will add another new town. Nintendo has not yet revealed its theme, location or included Pokémon.
Does Bubbly Basin Require Nintendo Switch Online?
Nintendo has not stated that a Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to access the Bubbly Basin DLC itself.
Pokémon Pokopia supports online and local wireless multiplayer for up to four players. A Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required for online multiplayer features, but it should not be necessary for exploring the DLC alone.
Nintendo has not published separate connection requirements specifically for Bubbly Basin, so this may be clarified closer to launch.
Is the Expansion Pass Worth It?
The Expansion Pass looks promising for players who spend most of their time building towns, collecting furniture and searching for new Pokémon.
Bubbly Basin appears to expand the game in a meaningful direction by turning the free underwater mechanics into a complete settlement. The combination of Dive, underwater construction and a new town should create more variety than a basic cosmetic pack.
Still, it is too early to make a final judgement about the $34.99 price. Nintendo has not revealed the size of Bubbly Basin, the number of new Pokémon, the amount of furniture or the total length of its quests. Part 2 and Part 3 also remain only partially detailed.
The Expansion Pass may offer good value for dedicated builders and collectors, but its full value will depend on how substantial Bubbly Basin is and how much content Nintendo includes in the two later updates.
For now, the Pokémon Pokopia Bubbly Basin DLC looks like a strong first expansion, especially for players who want more freedom to build beyond the original towns.
