The Pokémon Company has confirmed that Pokémon Bank, the long-running cloud storage service for Pokémon on the Nintendo 3DS, will shut down on 26 February 2027.
Players who currently use Pokémon Bank will need to migrate their collections to Pokémon HOME, the cross-platform cloud service that supports Nintendo Switch consoles and mobile devices.
Background and context
Pokémon Bank has served as the primary storage and transfer hub for multiple generations of Pokémon titles on Nintendo 3DS hardware.
Pokémon HOME, which is available on Nintendo Switch and as a mobile app, was introduced to consolidate Pokémon storage and enable transfers across modern platforms.
In its announcement, The Pokémon Company stated that Pokémon Bank will cease operations on 26 February 2027 and advised users to use Pokémon HOME going forward to manage their collections and transfers.
FireRed and LeafGreen linking, and Celebi distribution
The Pokémon Company also announced that Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen will be able to link to Pokémon HOME in October.
As part of that linking, players who have completed their Pokédex in those titles will be eligible to receive the Mythical Pokémon Celebi through the mobile version of Pokémon HOME.
The company framed this as a catch-up pathway for players who maintained full national entries in the Game Boy Advance-era remakes.
What players should do now
Owners of Pokémon Bank should plan their migration to Pokémon HOME well before the 26 February 2027 shutdown to avoid losing access to stored Pokémon.
Because Pokémon HOME supports both Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, it will be the primary destination for Pokémon transfers and long-term storage after the Bank closure.
Why this matters
Consolidating storage services simplifies cross-generation transfers and aligns legacy 3DS functionality with current platforms.
For collectors and competitive players, the scheduled closure represents an administrative deadline: migrate assets, verify transferred Pokémon in Pokémon HOME, and—if applicable—prepare to claim any limited distributions such as the Celebi reward tied to FireRed and LeafGreen Pokédex completion.
The Pokémon Company’s announcement provides a clear timetable for the industry and players to complete migrations ahead of the 2027 shutdown.
Players who currently use Pokémon Bank will need to migrate their collections to Pokémon HOME, the cross-platform cloud service that supports Nintendo Switch consoles and mobile devices.
Background and context
Pokémon Bank has served as the primary storage and transfer hub for multiple generations of Pokémon titles on Nintendo 3DS hardware.
Pokémon HOME, which is available on Nintendo Switch and as a mobile app, was introduced to consolidate Pokémon storage and enable transfers across modern platforms.
In its announcement, The Pokémon Company stated that Pokémon Bank will cease operations on 26 February 2027 and advised users to use Pokémon HOME going forward to manage their collections and transfers.
FireRed and LeafGreen linking, and Celebi distribution
The Pokémon Company also announced that Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen will be able to link to Pokémon HOME in October.
As part of that linking, players who have completed their Pokédex in those titles will be eligible to receive the Mythical Pokémon Celebi through the mobile version of Pokémon HOME.
The company framed this as a catch-up pathway for players who maintained full national entries in the Game Boy Advance-era remakes.
What players should do now
Owners of Pokémon Bank should plan their migration to Pokémon HOME well before the 26 February 2027 shutdown to avoid losing access to stored Pokémon.
Because Pokémon HOME supports both Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, it will be the primary destination for Pokémon transfers and long-term storage after the Bank closure.
Why this matters
Consolidating storage services simplifies cross-generation transfers and aligns legacy 3DS functionality with current platforms.
For collectors and competitive players, the scheduled closure represents an administrative deadline: migrate assets, verify transferred Pokémon in Pokémon HOME, and—if applicable—prepare to claim any limited distributions such as the Celebi reward tied to FireRed and LeafGreen Pokédex completion.
The Pokémon Company’s announcement provides a clear timetable for the industry and players to complete migrations ahead of the 2027 shutdown.
