Nintendo has confirmed that the first paid DLC for Pokémon Pokopia, the popular Switch 2 exclusive, will launch on 5 August. Called Bubbly Basin, the expansion adds a new underwater area resembling the ruins of Cerulean City, accessible via a new Dive move that lets players explore submerged parts of the game world. The move itself will be available free to all players, though the wider expansion is a paid addition, extending the appeal of a title that has already become a system seller since its March release.

Bubbly Basin introduces buoyant blocks enabling three-dimensional underwater builds, new decorative and furniture items suited to seafloor life, a hidden area teased as "a deep, dark hole," a new watermelon crop, and an additional Dream Island. The DLC is only available as part of the £/$35 Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass, which also unlocks two further major DLC drops plus bonus recipes and 30 rare Pokémetal ingots, meaning the game plus expansion pass totals around $105. Pokémon Pokopia itself blends elements of Pokémon, Minecraft, Stardew Valley and Dragon Quest Builders, casting players as a Ditto rebuilding the world after a cataclysmic event.