[UPDATE] Pokemon Sword/Shield’s Expansion Pass Content Will Scale In Difficulty Based On Your Party’s Level

Wondering if you’ll be ready to tackle the upcoming expansion pass content of Pokemon Sword/Shield? Well, it looks like it won’t matter whatever level you have when you get there!

[UPDATE (17/06/2020): following the release of the expansion pass content – players have been discovering that level scaling is not actually in effect. It is possible that there was some huge miscommunication between Nintendo and IGN. Read more details over here.]

During their hands-on preview of the upcoming Isle of Armor expansion, IGN noted that trainers they encountered were sending out Pokemon with comparable levels to their own party (e.g. Level 60). Eventually, they confirmed with a Nintendo representative that the DLC’s difficulty would scale according to a player’s party – meaning that anyone can start enjoying the new content regardless of where they are in the game’s story!

Here’s the full excerpt from IGN below:

”During our 30-minute hands-off preview of Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Isle of Armor DLC, we noticed that the first trainer battle were around level 60 – the same as the highest level Pokémon in the trainer’s party.

We asked Nintendo product marketing specialist Demetrius Boggs if this meant level scaling was in place, and he confirmed that Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Expansion Pass area’s trainers and wild Pokemon will in fact scale with your own Pokemon levels.

Not only that, but these areas can be accessed as soon as you reach the Wild Area of Pokémon Sword and Shield, just a few hours into the games. So whether you’ve just started or have already completed every post-game activity and have a full party of level-100 Pokémon, both parts of the expansion pass–The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra–will match your Pokémon’s level.”

What do you think of this feature for the expansion pass content? Will you be jumping in immediately, or waiting until your whole party is Level 99 to tackle the Isle of Armor? Feel free to share below!

The Isle of Armor expansion will be going live in Pokemon Sword/Shield on 17 June 2020.