What time does the Pokémon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra DLC release?

Crown Tundra release date and time

Pokémon Sword and Shield is one of the best Nintendo Switch games out there. Previously, Nintendo announced that the Crown Tundra section of the Expansion Pass would release on Oct. 22. However, it didn't release until later Thursday evening. This was upsetting for many people who were expecting to be able to play the Crown Tundra part of the DLC that morning.

The only clue we had for what time the second part of the DLC would drop actually came from Pokémon Home. Pokémon Home was scheduled for maintenance between Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. ET and Oct. 23 at 12 a.m. ET. It stood to reason that this update allowed players to trade and transfer Pokémon found in the Crown Tundra. As such, we assumed the Crown Tundra would release sometime during that scheduled maintenance. Turns out this guess was correct and many of us had to wait until Thursday evening to start playing.

What is the Crown Tundra DLC all about?

Earlier this year, we received the first half of the Pokémon Expansion Pass. Now the second half is about to release. While the Isle of Armor focused on training at a dojo on a tropical island, the Crown Tundra has us exploring green valleys and snowy mountaintops.

The exciting news is that Legendary Pokémon from past games will all be catachable within the Crown Tundra. Players will also have the chance to explore Dynamax Adventure tunnels with friends. These are basically special Max Raid Battles that can culminate in an encounter with a Legendary Pokémon. Over 100 Pokémon will be added to the Pokédex which will include new Pokémon and Galarian variants that we haven't seen before.

Lastly, players with the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass get to take part in the Galarian Star Tournament back on the Galar mainland. You'll choose a battling partner among the trainers and gym leaders from the original game and then compete to see if you can battle your way to the top.