Pokémon Pokopia is about to go a lot deeper. Nintendo revealed during the June 2026 Nintendo Direct that the social sim sandbox spin-off is getting a free Version 2.0 update this August, bringing full underwater exploration to the game. A three-part paid Expansion Pass was announced at the same time, with the first chapter, Bubbly Basin, also landing in August.
How the free Dive update actually works
The Version 2.0 update introduces a new move called Dive, which lets players drop below the water's surface and explore the ocean floor. It's not handed to you immediately, though. You'll need to complete the "Raise the Environment level" request at Bleak Beach, and you also need both the jump ability and the surf move already unlocked before Dive becomes available.
Once you have it, the possibilities open up considerably. Players can plant grass, construct buildings, and build out their own underwater towns on the ocean floor, all with Pokémon living alongside them. The trailer showed how these submerged zones connect to the existing island, effectively adding a whole new dimension to your build space.
Bubbly Basin and what the Expansion Pass covers
The paid Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass, priced at $34.99 and available on the Nintendo eShop now, covers three separate content drops.
Bubbly Basin is the headliner for now. It drops alongside the free update in August and introduces an entirely new underwater town populated with ocean-themed Pokémon, new furniture sets, and new outfits. Nintendo is keeping Parts 2 and 3 under wraps for the time being, only confirming that each will bring a new town.
Dive into the ocean floor
Early purchase bonuses worth knowing
Buying the full Expansion Pass comes with a recipe for dynamic Ditto print blocks and wallpaper, which you can claim immediately after purchase. On top of that, anyone who picks up the pass before August 31, 2026 gets a code for 30 rare Pokémetal ingots. That's a meaningful early incentive if you're already planning to grab all three parts.
Here's the thing: Pokopia has already sold through more than 4 million units since its March 2026 launch, so the player base this content is dropping into is already substantial. The timing makes sense.
Expansion Pass on eShop now
What this means for Pokopia's long-term content plan
The structure here mirrors what Nintendo did with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, spacing out paid content across multiple years to keep players engaged well past the initial launch window. With Part 3 not arriving until 2027, Pokopia is clearly being treated as a long-term platform rather than a one-and-done release.
The free update is the smart move, too. Adding underwater exploration at no cost brings lapsed players back and gives the whole community something to engage with before the paid content even hits. If you want to get ahead of the August drop, the Pokémon Pokopia guides collection has everything you need to prep your island for what's coming.
