Pokémon Bank Release Date December 13, 2013

Before Pokémon X and Pokémon Y launched in October of this year, Nintendo announced during a Pokémon Direct video that a new service called Pokémon Bank would be coming this month.  Pokémon Bank would allow Pokémon players the ability to keep all their collected Pokémon from the current and older Pokémon games safe online.  By keeping them online, it would ensure that the loss or destruction of a handheld device or game cartridge would not destroy a Pokémon Trainer’s Pokémon collection, and make it easier to bring Pokémon collected in earlier games to newer ones.

The Pokémon Company has released this helpful video on how this process will work and when we can expect the service to launch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTfSDbrskfE

Pokémon Bank will activate December 27th, 2013.  The service will cost an annual fee of $4.99 US, but there will be a 30-day trial period for anyone who downloads the program before January 31st, 2014.  You will need to download the Poké Transporter program to your Nintendo 2DS/3DS to transfer any Pokémon captured in the 5th Generation games to Pokémon Bank.

UPDATE:  Due to the issues Nintendo was having with the eShop during Christmas, Nintendo has delayed the launch of Pokémon Bank in North America and has not provided a solid release date for when they plan to launch it.  We will endeavor to keep readers posted when Nintendo announces the service’s new release date.