The Pokémon Company has confirmed that Bubbly Basin, the first instalment of the Pokémon Pokopia expansion pass, will launch on 5 August on Nintendo Switch 2, matching earlier leaks. Alongside the paid DLC, a free update will let players speak to Manaphy and learn the move Dive, allowing Ditto to breathe underwater and access the new deep-sea town for the first time. The reveal matters for fans awaiting fresh content for the life-sim spin-off, as it also sheds light on the roadmap for later parts of the expansion pass.

Bubbly Basin introduces previously unreachable Pokémon such as Totodile, Poplio and Finneon, alongside new furniture, crops, recipes and a "Buoyant Block" feature for building floating structures. A second DLC part, focused on customisation with new accessories and decorative items, is due later in 2026, while a third and final part, including a brand new town, is planned for 2027. Buyers of the expansion pass will also receive exclusive rewards, including a Dynamic Ditto print recipe and 30 Rare Pokémetal ingots.