- Primary Subject: Pokemon Pokopia (Expansion Pass)
- Key Update: The Expansion Pass adds cosmetic accessories in Part 2 (late 2026), but locking basic customization behind paid DLC is a major disappointment for a cozy life sim.
- Status: Confirmed / Opinion
- Last Verified: July 30, 2026
- Quick Answer: Pokemon Pokopia is locking basic Pokemon accessory customization behind Phase 2 of its paid Expansion Pass in late 2026, frustrating fans who expected launch-day cosmetics.
Pokemon Pokopia recently announced the release date of Bubbly Basin, which is the first phase of the Expansion Pass. The second phase, meanwhile, will introduce accessories to Pokopia, allowing you to put hats, jewelry, and more on your Pokemon. This comes out in late 2026.
On paper, this seems great. Who doesn't want to dress up their Pokemon in cute little tiaras and funky fedoras? But let's be honest - the fact that this is all we can expect for part two of the Expansion Pass is a letdown.
Especially since accessorizing Pokemon in Pokopia should have been something we had from the very start.
Accessories in Pokemon Pokopia Should've Been Available From Launch
Pokopia isn't like other Pokemon games that rely on leveling up your companion and being the best trainer. Instead, it's a cozy life sim where we make homes for Pokemon, and in most cozy life sims, being able to express yourself is the core gameplay loop.
I guess you can say we got that by being able to customize our Ditto and create homes for Pokemon, but let's not pretend that being able to dress up your Pokemon is some groundbreaking addition that should be paywalled. We should have been able to put a little bow on our Pokemon friends from the start of Pokopia's cycle.
When the game launched, Pokopia earned praise for its personable Pokemon reactions. I think if they added the ability to dress up Pokemons from the very start, it would just deepen the bond you build. Each Pokemon would feel unique, with their own sense of style that reflects their personality.
I just don't understand why adding accessories is locked behind a paid DLC. Phase 1 featuring Bubbly Basin and Phase 3 featuring a new town make sense - they are major expansions that will feature new biomes and likely new Pokemon. But customization? Accessories that should be a quality-of-life feature in a companion-focused game? That should have been a standard feature available from the start.
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Holding key cosmetic features over our heads via a paid DLC leaves a sour taste in my mouth. It’s a feature we needed when we were first building our bonds and designing our hubs, not as an afterthought. Basic customization should be part of the core gameplay, not something I need to swipe my credit card for later down the line.
I love Pokemon Pokopia. As someone who grew up playing Pokemon and developed a fondness for life sims, it's the perfect game for me. But paywalling accessories behind a three-part Expansion Pass feels predatory, and I will not be purchasing it.
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