Nintendo dropped an extended deep-dive trailer today confirming that Pokémon Pokopia gets two major content drops on August 5: a free Dive update for all players and Part 1 of the paid Expansion Pass, titled Bubbly Basin.
The timing matters. Both pieces of content land on the same day, so players who want to go deep (literally) can do it from the jump, while everyone else gets a meaningful free upgrade regardless of whether they buy in.
What the free Dive update actually adds
The free update centers on Ditto learning the new Dive ability, taught by Manaphy, who is making their Pokopia debut here. Dive lets players explore underwater indefinitely, which is a bigger deal than it sounds. Up to this point, the game's building systems were firmly land-based. Cracking open the ocean floor as a construction zone changes the formula considerably.
There is a prerequisite chain to unlock it. You'll need to complete the "Raise the Environmental Level" mission in Bleak Beach, then learn the Jump and Surf moves before the Dive content triggers. It is not a straight login-and-go situation, so players who have been putting off Bleak Beach progression will want to sort that out before August 5.
Bubbly Basin: an abandoned town under the sea
The paid side of August 5 is Bubbly Basin, the first of three parts in the Expansion Pass, priced at $34.99 for the full pass. The DLC cannot be purchased in individual parts, so the $34.99 covers all three releases.
The setup follows Pokopia's familiar loop: arrive somewhere new, meet a Pokémon (here it is Popplio), and start building habitats to attract others and restore the area. The twist is that Bubbly Basin is a sunken, abandoned town, and the construction mechanics have been adapted for the underwater setting.
Here is the lowdown on what is new:
- Buoyant blocks let you build floating structures above the ocean floor
- Ocean-themed furniture for decorating those floating houses
- Chinchou powers light sources and electronics after dark using its electricity
- A deeper, pitch-black zone lit only by glowing coral, with its contents left undisclosed for players to find
That last point is the most interesting. The trailer does not spell out what is down there, which suggests the depth progression has some genuine discovery built in rather than just more of the same habitat loop.
The road ahead for the Expansion Pass
Nintendo also gave a brief look at what follows Bubbly Basin. Part 2, arriving later in 2026, adds Pokémon accessories and a new town. Part 3, currently slated for 2027, brings another town to the mix. Details on both remain sparse, but the roadmap confirms this is a multi-year content commitment rather than a single drop.
For players who have been enjoying the base game, the free Dive update alone is a strong reason to log back in on August 5. If you want a sense of how the core experience holds up before committing to the Expansion Pass, check out our in-depth review of Pokémon Pokopia. And if you are already deep into the build grind, the Pokémon Pokopia strategy guides have everything from habitat setups to resource automation to get you ready for the new content.
