PSA: Pokémon fans are losing precious data in Switch 2 transfer

The recent launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 went off shockingly smoothly, especially for anyone who has gone through big console launches before. That said, it hasn’t been without its hitches.

Perhaps most notably, there are problems with the process of transferring data from one Switch to another, especially as it relates to recent Pokémon games. Some fans are finding (via IGN) that performing a data transfer from their old Switch to their Switch 2 results in lost Pokémon game saves, which is particularly galling for one of the only Nintendo series that doesn’t support cloud saves.

In case you aren’t aware, a unique feature of the Pokémon RPG series is that you can transfer your favorite pocket monsters from game to game, with limited exceptions here and there. According to one Reddit post (that has since been deleted), a user lost 1,000 hours of gameplay and two decades’ worth of Pokémon when the Switch 2 data transfer wiped their save file. This is, obviously, a tragedy. However, there is a way to make sure your favorite little weirdos stick around, even if your save gets lost.

For any Pokémon fans who are afraid of losing anything, the “Pokémon Home” service is a failsafe you can use. It’s a nominally free cloud save service specifically for keeping creatures around between the Pokémon games. Free users can only store 30 Pokémon at a time, but for $2.99/mo, you can store up to 6,000, among other perks. If you deposit your beloved Pokémon in the Home service, they shouldn’t be lost even if there’s a mishap during the Switch transfer process.

It’s a shame some people are losing their Pokémon game saves, but at least there’s a way to guarantee your favorite little guys stay safe. If you do lose everything, well…at least Mario Kart World is really good.