Pokémon Pokopia’s Bubbly Basin DLC Part 1 hits August 5 on Switch 2
“Pokémon Pokopia” is getting its first wave of paid expansion content on Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo has set the release date for the “Bubbly Basin” expansion pass to Wednesday, August 5, bringing a new underwater town and a batch of gameplay additions as part of a broader three-part DLC plan.
What’s arriving in Bubbly Basin Part 1
The first DLC installment centers on Bubbly Basin, described as a submerged town where players can lean into new water-focused activities and building possibilities. Nintendo’s highlights for Part 1 include:
- Access to a new underwater town called Bubbly Basin
- Water specialty Pokémon helping players grow watermelons in the underwater setting
- Generate specialty Pokémon powering bubble machines or activating streetlights
- More Pokémon to discover and new outfits
- A power-up for the move Surf
- A newly added prepared food: smoothies
Underwater building plus a free base-game update
Alongside the new town, the expansion pass adds underwater construction using buoyant blocks. Nintendo says these buoyant blocks enable building at multiple depths, letting players create structures within different underwater levels rather than being limited to a single surface.
August 5 will also coincide with a free update to the base game. The 2.0 update adds the ability for player characters to learn the Dive move.
Release timeline for the full DLC plan
“Bubbly Basin” is the first part of a three-part DLC series tied to the $35 expansion content. Nintendo has already outlined the later entries:
- Part 1: Releases Wednesday, August 5 on Nintendo Switch 2 (first underwater town and related features).
- Part 2: Planned for late 2026, adding new furniture and more Pokémon to befriend.
- Part 3: Scheduled for sometime in 2027, adding a new town for players to explore and rebuild.
Nintendo has also released a trailer showcasing the expansion pass’ first set of offerings for players to preview before launch.
