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Pokemon Bank shutdown will make 5 Pokemon unobtainable in modern Switch games, and fans want to know when that changes
The planned closure of Pokémon Bank would leave five Pokémon unavailable through normal means in modern Nintendo Switch games, prompting fans to ask when Pokémon will make them obtainable again. The issue matters because Bank is the remaining route for moving certain older Pokémon into the current games, and its removal would break that link for players without existing collections.
The affected Pokémon are Pansage, Pansear, Panpour, Patrat and Watchog, which are not currently catchable in Switch-era titles. Pokémon Bank has continued to support transfers from Nintendo 3DS games despite the eShop’s closure, but its eventual shutdown would end this option; fans are therefore seeking confirmation of a replacement or future in-game availability.
In short
- Pokémon Bank’s closure could strand five Pokémon outside modern Switch games.
- The affected species include the elemental monkeys and Patrat line.
- Fans want Pokémon to provide a new way to obtain them.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Pokémon's fundamental promise has always been that players can work towards catching all Pokémon species, yet the Bank closure would permanently lock five species out of modern games without guaranteed alternatives. This breaks a core expectation that has sustained player investment across generations, and the company bears responsibility for ensuring no Pokémon becomes unobtainable when discontinuing services that players have relied upon.
The case against
Maintaining legacy infrastructure like Pokémon Bank incurs substantial costs that must eventually be reallocated to current projects and platforms. Service closures are an inevitable part of online gaming management, and companies cannot indefinitely support ageing systems. These five Pokémon represent an edge case likely addressed through future releases, but the company cannot be expected to guarantee specific timelines or keep obsolete services running solely to maintain interim compatibility.
Explained simply
Pokémon is a series of games in which players catch and collect creatures, with different species available in different games. Pokémon Bank is a service for storing Pokémon from older games and transferring them to newer ones.
Pansage, Pansear, Panpour, Patrat and Watchog are five species that cannot currently be caught in the modern Switch games. For players who do not already have them, Bank has remained a way to bring them across from older games.
When Bank closes, that transfer route will end. The issue is whether the five species will become available in future games or through another service, so players can add them to newer collections.