The most significant announcement during the Pokémon Day 2023 Pokémon Presents showcase is that Pokémon Scarlet & Violet are receiving paid DLC via an expansion pass called The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. Buying the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet DLC right now is possible, but players must be careful about buying the correct one.
What is the correct expansion pass?
Like all other mainline Pokémon games before them, Pokémon Scarlet & Violet are dual-released games in the same generation. This has caused issues in the past, as Pokémon Sword & Shield’s DLC involved two separate Expansion Passes, one for each game. As a result, some players bought the wrong Expansion Pass and had to go to Nintendo support to fix the issue.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet also have split DLC, so players must ensure they buy the correct one. The easiest way to do this is through buying the DLC in-game, though there are also options for doing so on the Nintendo Eshop.
How to buy the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Expansion Pass in-game
First, download the new update for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet released today, as it adds the ability to buy the Downloadable Content. Once the game is updated, load a save and bring up the menu. A new tab labeled “Downloadable Content” will now be at the bottom right of the screen. This tab links straight to the correct eShop page for The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, with a guarantee that it’s the one compatible with the version of the game being used.
How to buy the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Expansion Pass online
It’s possible to buy The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero from the Nintendo eShop, but make sure that you are buying the DLC for the version of the game you own. You will have to mess around with Nintendo support if you don’t.
First, log in to the correct Nintendo account before buying the DLC. Then, visit the Pokémon Scarlet page or the Pokémon Violet page on the Nintendo eShop, as they now have a tab labeled ‘DLC,’ which leads to the page where the DLC can be purchased. People who don’t have Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet can also buy a bundle with the DLC and the game on their respective pages.
What are the benefits of buying the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet DLC now?
While it’s possible to buy access to The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC now, the bulk of the content won’t be available until later in the year, as it’s spread across two separate updates. The first is the Teal Mask DLC, which launches fall 2023, while the second is The Indigo Disk DLC, which is coming winter 2023, so fans will wait a while before they can explore outside the Paldea region.
There are some benefits to buying the DLC now, as those who purchase The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero will receive a free Hisuian Zoroark with a Dark Tera Type, which knows Happy Hour, Tera Blast, Bitter Malice, and Nasty Plot. The player will also receive new school uniforms for their character to wear in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
