Pokemon Fans Reportedly Losing Save Files During Switch 2…

Many Pokemon fans are reportedly losing their save files during the system data transfer from the Switch to the Switch 2, with one player claiming to have lost over 1,000 hours and 20 years of progress. After the data transfer, the player saw their Pokemon Scarlet saves completely gone and resorted to the community for help—only to discover other fans had reported the same issue with other franchises as well.

Pokemon is one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises, with thousands of active players and many entries over the years. Some Pokemon fans have been making progress and collecting creatures across many games throughout the years. For this reason, fans can access Pokemon HOME, a cloud-based storage and trading service available on Nintendo Switch and mobile, where players can deposit their precious creatures from various games. However, not all players utilize this service, as many rely on the console’s save files—which fans are now discovering may not be safe enough.

pokemon-used-confusion-its-super-effective

One Missing Pokemon Release Feels Stranger with Every Year That Passes

The continued absence of several Pokemon releases, which some players may have though were all but guaranteed years ago, feels bizarre.

Posts 2

By Zackari Greif

Following the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 release, a Reddit user known as ThatOtaku26 got the new console and followed the procedure to bring all their data from the original Switch to the new system. The player reports having no issues during the transfer, though upon completion, they realized their Pokemon Scarlet save file was gone. They also checked if the save files were still on the original Switch, only to discover they were gone too. Just like that, the player lost 20+ years of progress and more than 1,000 hours invested in the Pokemon franchise—admitting they don’t even know if they want to keep playing anymore.

Pokemon Scarlet Player Lost Over 20 Years of Progress During Switch 2 System Transfer

The player explained that these Pokemon were the ones they “cared for the most and used the most,” and some of them had been brought over all the way from Pokemon LeafGreen and Diamond. Many fans chimed in and shared similar experiences while transferring their data to the Switch 2. One player reported having the same issue with Pokemon Violet, though they managed to recover their save files, while another shared ThatOtaku26's fate and lost everything.

Interestingly enough, some users reported having the same issue with other games like Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and Mario Kart 8, and couldn’t recover any data from those games. In an attempt to help, some users recommended reaching out to Nintendo, as the company may be able to recover the lost data. For future Switch 2 buyers, fans in the community also advise saving their most important creatures to the Pokemon HOME service before making any transfers.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image