Pokemon Home is live. The new Pokemon cloud storage service is now available to download on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, and you can get a few presents for using it--namely free Pokemon.
The first time you log into Pokemon Home, the service will let you choose one of the original three starter Pokemon--Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. You can keep the Pokemon in Home or transfer it to either Sword or Shield on Switch. What's special about these monsters is they each have their Hidden Ability, which normally can't be obtained in the games.
You'll get another bonus for using the service: a free Pikachu. You'll find it automatically waiting for you in your Pokemon Box. There's nothing particularly special about this Pikachu, but free is free.
Two other free Pokemon can be obtained after using some of the service's features. The first time you trade a Pokemon via the GTS, you'll receive a free Rotom, and you can get a free Eevee the first time you trade a Pokemon through Wonder Box. These Pokemon will be waiting in your Gift Box in the Mystery Gift menu.
Pokemon Home is free to download on Switch and mobile, but the service offers a paid plan that grants you access to more storage space and additional features, such as the ability to bring over Pokemon from Pokemon Bank on 3DS. You can learn more about how much the paid plans cost in our Pokemon Home pricing guide. The Pokemon Company is also offering a free month of Pokemon Bank so you can transfer your monsters over more easily.