It seems like continual support for Pokémon Sword and Shield will end. In a report from Serebii.net, a Pokémon-themed news website, The Pokémon Company has put notice that the next update for Sword and Shield will also be its last. This final update will launch on Nov. 1 and allows players to catch Giagantimax Pokémon you wouldn’t usually be able to catch, such as Giagantimax Snorlax.
Serbii.net also revealed that the Battle Stadium would no longer update with ranked seasons starting on Nov. 1. Ranked Battle Season results will no longer appear in Pokémon HOME, and there will be no future online competitions.
While this may disappoint some fans, it’s understandable that The Pokémon Company is doing this, as the next mainline Pokémon games, Scarlet and Violet, are launching next month. We’ll just have to wait and see how updates for those titles will work out.
On the bright side, Sword and Shield will still have most of their other online features intact. You’ll still be able to trade with other players, compete in friendly matches, and partake in raid battles. Just don’t expect any more rank battles from here on out.
Pokémon: Sword and Shield first launched on Nov. 19, 2019, with two expansion packs launching the following year.
The next installments in the franchise, Scarlet and Violet, will launch on Nov. 18, 2022.
