The Ultimate Guide: Unveiling the Complete List of Exclusive Pokémon Disappearing Forever After the 3DS Server Closure!

Highlights

Pokemon accessibility has been a long-standing issue worsened by Sword and Shield lacking a complete National Dex and 3DS servers shutting down in 2024.

To avoid certain Pokemon from becoming unavailable, players must transfer their collections to Pokemon Home before the cutoff date. Snivy, Tepig, Blitzle, and Pikipek will be accessible on the Switch through DLC, while Patrat, elemental monkeys, and Furfrou face the risk of being trapped on the 3DS.

Pokemon accessibility has been a continuous problem in the series, particularly exacerbated by the absence of a complete National Dex in Pokemon Sword and Shield (Gen 8) and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Gen 9). Players have faced numerous obstacles when trying to transfer their collection of creatures to the new games, leading to the unfortunate consequences of "Dexit." As a further blow, the 3DS servers are scheduled to be shut down in Spring 2024, leaving the future of Pokemon Bank uncertain and potentially stranding certain Pokemon on the system.

The good news for players who have delayed transferring their 3DS creatures to Pokemon Home is that Pokemon Bank and the Poke Transporter will still be accessible for now, even after the other online functions of the 3DS are discontinued in Spring 2024. However, Nintendo has not provided a clear timeline for how long these services will remain active after the shutdown, emphasizing the importance of transferring collections to Pokemon Home as soon as possible. That being said, if players fail to transfer certain Pokemon before the deadline, there is a risk that these creatures may become completely unavailable.

Pokemon That Would Be Trapped If the 3DS Servers Shutdown Today

Snivy

Servine

Serperior

Tepig

Pignite

Emboar

Patrat

Watchog

Pansage

Simisage

Pansear

Simisear

Panpour

Simipour

Blitzle

Zebstrika

Furfrou

Pikipek

Trumbeak

Toucannon

Majority of the Pokémon on the list that will become unavailable after the shutdown of the 3DS servers and the discontinuation of Pokémon Bank and the Poké Transporter are from Generation 5. However, certain Pokémon such as Snivy, Tepig, Blitzle, and Pikipek have been confirmed to be included in The Indigo Disk DLC, making them accessible on the Switch before the 3DS servers shut down. There are also rumors that Minior will be included in the DLC, but this has not been confirmed yet.

Excluding potential DLC creatures, the remaining Pokémon that would remain exclusive to the 3DS are Patrat, the elemental monkeys, and Furfrou. Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour have received minimal attention since their introduction in Pokémon Black and White, and now they face the risk of being unavailable on the Switch, along with fellow Gen 5 Pokémon Patrat. Furfrou, originally from Gen 6's Pokémon X and Y, has also made limited appearances outside of its original game.

One possible reason why Pokémon like Furfrou and Minior have yet to appear outside of the 3DS is due to their multiple forms. Minior is available in various colors and Furfrou can be groomed in different styles. It may not be deemed worthwhile to allocate resources to include these models in recent generations, considering the limited impact these Pokémon have had in the games thus far. Despite rumors of Minior being included in The Indigo Disk DLC, Furfrou seems to be neglected without a Gen 6 remake or a Pokémon Legends Kalos game that could justify its inclusion.

The addition of the Indigo Disk DLC to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on Nintendo Switch is expected to address concerns about limited accessibility to certain Pokemon from previous generations. However, it is important to note that restricting certain creatures to downloadable content is not an ideal approach and only offers a temporary solution to an ongoing issue. It is anticipated that in the future, when the online servers for the Switch are no longer available, this problem will persist if future Pokemon games continue to exclude the complete National Dex.

Please note: Some adjustments have been made to improve clarity and cohesiveness.