Pokopia 2.0 Update Tames Overly Dramatic Pokémon

Pokémon Pokopia’s Bubbly Basin expansion has launched today, introducing a host of new Pokémon, habitats, and more to the life simulation experience. Even if you’re not interested in the $35 expansion pass, there’s a significant free 2.0 update available for everyone, although it does put an end to one of the game’s funniest quirks that emerged when it first released in March.

The detailed patch notes outline all the updates, including the new Dive ability that allows players to explore and create homes underwater. Alongside the fresh features, the notes highlight various improvements and quality-of-life enhancements. Two of these changes tackle one of the more frustrating aspects of Pokopia: how Pokémon react when you attempt to rearrange items. Pokémon inhabit the habitats you design within different biomes, which can consist of various props, patches of grass, or bodies of water. While there’s no strict way to set these up, Pokémon are quite particular about having all the elements of their habitat in place to recognize it as home. Consequently, even a slight adjustment—like moving an item just a tile over—can trigger a dramatic reaction, as if their entire world has been turned upside down.

That might sound exaggerated, but there are plenty of clips showing the chaos that ensues when someone shifts an object in Pokopia, causing an uproar among the local Pokémon.

Due to the way the habitat system is integrated into Pokopia’s mechanics, moving a piece of furniture is treated as if you’ve completely destroyed a home. All components must be present for the game to acknowledge it as a living space, and you then have to go through the hassle of re-inviting a Pokémon to live there after you’ve rearranged things. However, with the 2.0 patch, Pokémon will be more relaxed about these changes, as long as you recreate their habitat correctly.

If a Pokémon’s habitat is disrupted, it will return if the same setup is rebuilt nearby. Additionally, Pokémon that were upset by the removal of furniture will now notice more quickly when the same items are put back.

While I’ll miss the humor, I won’t miss the overly sensitive Pokémon getting upset just because I wanted to shift a rock across the yard. The full patch notes include:

The following features have been added.

The following improvements have been implemented.

The following issues have been fixed.

We have made several additional adjustments and fixed a number of bugs to enhance the overall gameplay experience.