Nintendo Switch 2 users who have lost Pokémon save files are now strongly advising fellow players to utilize the Pokémon Home cloud storage service before setting up their new console and performing a system data transfer.
A Reddit post describes one fan's experience transferring data from their original Switch to the new Switch 2, only to discover their Pokémon Scarlet save file was wiped during the process. Others in the comments have encountered similar problems, and an IGN staff member also experienced this issue.
The post by Reddit user ThatOtaku26 explains their save contained more than 1,000 hours of gameplay and Pokémon collected over twenty years—including creatures transferred from earlier titles like Pokémon Leaf Green and Pokémon Diamond on Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance.
For dedicated Pokémon players, save files carry immense sentimental value, as many include companions collected across multiple games—some released years ago. Compounding the issue, Pokémon games on Nintendo Switch are among the few titles that do not support the system’s built-in cloud save backup feature, which is available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Specifically, Pokémon: Let's Go Eevee and Pikachu, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Sword and Shield, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet all lack cloud save compatibility.
Fortunately, the Pokémon series offers its own cloud-based solution: the Pokémon Home app. A subscription is required to store more than 30 creatures, but fans are now recommending everyone use the app before migrating to Switch 2 to ensure their Pokémon collections remain intact.
"I just got a Switch 2, completed the initial setup and data transfer without any issues," ThatOtaku26 wrote. "But my Scarlet save file is gone. It boots directly to the language selection and character creation screens. There's no trace of the data on my OLED model. Everything is just gone."
"THE DATA TRANSFER HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY ERRORS," they continued. "IT SEEMED FINE. ALL MY OTHER POKÉMON GAME DATA IS STILL THERE, EXCEPT FOR SCARLET. I had Pokémon transferred all the way from my original GBA up to the latest games—literally two decades of memories. There's nothing I can do now. I'm not even sure I want to keep playing."
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Several fans expressed sympathy and shared that they faced similar troubles.
"The exact same thing happened when I moved from my first Switch to the OLED model," wrote Grouchy-Cress-215. "I was heartbroken."
"I had the same issue, but it wiped all my save data—not just Pokémon," added Existing-Possible550. "I lost progress in Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Mario Kart 8, Pokémon Sword and Shield, Scarlet and Violet, and more. Now I have to start every game over."
Many agreed that—however uncommon—using Pokémon Home to back up valuable Pokémon is essential for peace of mind.
"I’m so worried this could happen to me that I’m moving everything into Home before I do the system transfer," wrote Mexican_Chef4307.
"If I get a Switch 2 later, I’ll transfer all my Pokémon to Home before starting the data transfer," added TheJannikku. "I can’t imagine how I’d cope if I lost everything."
Not all responses were sympathetic, however.
"Not gonna lie, not moving your important Pokémon to Home first is on you," wrote IAmTheWire. "We’ve known for a long time that this is the only guaranteed way to protect your Pokémon in situations like this or if your old Switch breaks. Otherwise they’re gone forever. It’s such an obvious and easy precaution—you can always transfer them back if nothing goes wrong."
The Nintendo Switch 2 launched earlier this month and sold 3.5 million units in its first four days. These initial sales figures doubled the original Switch’s launch numbers, though the first console faced significant supply constraints at release.
