New Pokemon Snap will add three new areas with a total of 20 new Pokemon in a free content update being released next week. The surprise announcement was made earlier today via a 2-minute video posted to The Pokemon Company’s YouTube page. Notably, the update will add several fan-favorite Pokemon, including Psyduck, Snorlax, Feraligatr, Gyarados, and Rockruff, all of which were missing from the initial maps in the game. The trailer also revealed that the NEO-ONE pod will gain the ability to shrink, which will open up new areas to explore.
The three new areas includes a new Secret Sidepath at the Florio Nature Park, the Mightwide River, and the Barren Badlands. Notably, both areas will contain both Day and Night areas, which means that New Pokemon Snap will have a total of 30 maps.
The reveal that more New Pokemon Snap content was on the way isn’t exactly a surprise. A datamine revealed that the game’s core files contained room for additional Pokemon that could be added via a later update. Some fans also noticed that Shroomish appeared in the initial trailer but not in the final game – Shroomish notably appears in the new trailer and looks to be in the new Nature Park area. Still, it’s a pleasant surprise that players will get a total of 6 maps as a free download instead of as paid DLC.
New Pokemon Snap is the long-awaited sequel to the original Pokemon Snap game and focuses on taking pictures of Pokemon in the wild. The core gameplay is part photo-taking and part puzzle-solving, as players will occasionally need to coax Pokemon out of hiding using apples, a melody function, or special items that cause them to light up with energy. Players can also share their pictures of Pokemon online and compete to get a high score in photos or for an overall Photodex. The game was a strong seller when first released in April, and the new content update should draw even more interest to the game.
The update will be released for free on August 3rd. You can check out the trailer up above.