Some Pokémon Pokopia players will be able to play the Bubbly Basin DLC for free

The Pokemon Company and Nintendo revealed that fans attending PokemonXP and the Pokemon World Championships will have a chance to play Pokemon PokopiaUpcoming free Bubbly Basin expansion. Pokemon PokopiaThe first paid DLC will be divided into three parts, starting with Bubbly Basin in August 2026.

During the last Nintendo Direct in June, Pokemon Pokopia has shared a trailer for its Expansion Pass, giving players a look at Bubbly Basin, a new ocean-themed underwater city coming to the game in Part 1. The second part of the paid expansion will launch in late 2026 with more features, while Part 3 will come out in 2027 with another new city. Pokemon PokopiaThe DLC is already available for purchase on the Nintendo Store for $34.99, but some fans will be able to experience Bubbly Basin without purchasing it.

Pokemon Pokopia releases update 1.1.1

Omega Force is releasing a version 1.1.1 update for Pokemon Pokopia that makes a few small changes and fixes bugs in the life simulation game.

Pokemon Pokopia Part 1: Bubbly Basin Demo will be available in PokemonXP

As confirmed by the official PokemonXP registration page, Nintendo will offer participants the chance to play a demo of the game Pokemon PokopiaBubbly Basin DLC. Fans should note that while the Bubbly Basin demo is free, a ticket is required to participate in PokemonXP. Pokemon Pokopia will also have its own booth, but only Nintendo has confirmed an on-site DLC experience. It's worth noting that PokemonXP is the first in-person fan meeting of its kind, which will be held in conjunction with the 2026 Pokemon World Championships in San Francisco, California from August 28-30. At the Nintendo booth, fans will likely witness PopopiaNew Bubbly Basin Pokemon along with new clothing and furniture.

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Besides Pokemon PokopiaThe Nintendo booth will also allow fans to play various Pokemon games on the Nintendo Switch 2. On the other hand, while the developers have planned the release of Bubbly Basin in August, no set date has been announced yet. If the DLC launches in late August, there's a chance PokemonXP attendees will be the first to play the expansion at the event.

Some of the confirmed new Pokemon are coming Popopia with Bubbly Basin are Popplio, Corphish and Mudkip. A brief look at Manaphy in the trailer also hints at the Mythical creature's debut. It was recently hinted at by new official artwork Pokemon Pokopia adds costumes for Pokemon like Peakychu and Snubbull as part of the Pass expansion. It's unclear if this dress-up feature will start with Bubbly Basin or parts 2 and 3, so fans will have to wait for official confirmation in the coming months.

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Also in August, Pokemon Pokopia will receive a free diving update that will allow players to build underwater spaces and interact with Pokemon deep in the sea. The patch is still a few weeks away, but players can look forward to it Pokemon Pokopiameanwhile, the ongoing Jirachi event. Fans can befriend the Mythic Monster and build its habitat if they have restored at least one nearby Pokémon Center. The event also includes a temporary in-game store with limited Jirachi-themed items available until July 8th.