'Pokemon Sword And Shield': Nintendo Issues Refunds For DLC Purchases

A few weeks after reports of wrong Expansion Passes for “Pokemon Sword” and “Pokemon Shield,” Nintendo of America has begun to issue refunds to fans.

The confusion began, according to Screen Rant, because there are two versions of the Expansion Pass available: one on the Nintendo eShop and one where a code can be bought from a third-party seller. If you buy the wrong Expansion Pass, it will not work.

The information came from the official Nintendo Japan Twitter account which issued a statement after seeing multiple reports of players buying the incorrect Expansion Pass. According to translations from Japanese, Nintendo Japan stated that it received inquiries of “Pokemon Shield” owners purchasing the Expansion Pass for “Pokemon Sword” and how the Pass itself was divided for both games separately.

The Twitter account also pointed out that accessing the online store directly from the games will bring players to the correct Expansion Pass.

Initially, people who bought the wrong DLC on the eShop thought that they were out of luck since Nintendo was not issuing refunds. However, with the mistaken purchases of the Expansion Pass being common enough, Nintendo changed its policy and the Nintendo of America Twitter account has announced that customer support can be contacted to receive a refund.

To avoid purchasing the wrong Expansion Pass, it would be best to purchase directly through the game itself. It's possible to visit the correct eShop page by going to the menu in either “Pokemon Sword” or “Pokemon Shield” and using the link at the bottom of the screen.

Since the “Isle of Armor” expansion is now available for both games, a player would need to purchase the Expansion Pass on the Nintendo eShop or by using a digital code bought from an online store. Purchasing the Expansion Pass will also allow access to “The Crown Tundra,” the second DLC pack for “Pokemon Sword” and “Pokemon Shield” that will be released this autumn.

With anticipation for the Expansion Pass very high upon the release of “Pokemon Sword” and “Pokemon Shield,” the frustration over the incorrect purchases was bubbling on social media. According to Screen Rant, it might have made more sense to just release one Expansion Pass that was compatible with both games. Another option was to only allow people to buy the Expansion Pass through the in-game link.

Thankfully, Nintendo is addressing the issue and allowing fans to correct their error without losing any money.