Pokemon Sword And Shield Freebies: Galar Starters, Armorite Ore, And More

Pokemon Sword and Shield have arrived, and you can claim a couple of freebies in the titles just for playing. Since launch, The Pokemon Company has been regularly giving away a variety of in-game gifts for players, from free Pokemon to rare items such as Bottle Caps, which can be used to increase a pocket monster's base stats (a boon if you're trying to get into competitive Pokemon battling).

These freebies tend to only be available for a limited time, so you'll need to act fast if you want to claim them. To help you keep track of everything that's up for grabs, we've rounded up all the free gifts that are available right now for Sword and Shield below. We'll continue to update this list as more gifts are announced, so be sure to check back often to ensure you don't miss out on any freebies.

There's much more on the way for Sword and Shield this year. Two big, paid expansions--Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra--will launch in June and fall, respectively, each of which will introduce new mechanics, areas to explore, and even new and returning Pokemon to catch. A new Mythical Pokemon named Zarude was also recently revealed for Sword and Shield.

Pokemon Sword / Shield Gifts

Leon's Cap and Tights

If you purchase a Pokemon Sword or Shield Expansion Pass before August 31, you'll receive a free bonus: new clothing items for your trainer based on Leon's cap and tights. To claim the freebies, open the Mystery Gift menu and follow these steps:

• Select Get a Gift
• Select the Get via internet option
• Follow the prompts to connect online and download the items

Gigantamax Pikachu / Eevee

If you have save data from Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu or Let's Go Eevee on your Nintendo Switch, you'll be able to receive a free Pikachu or Eevee in Sword and Shield. You can claim the free Pokemon from the Wild Area Station roughly two hours into the adventure. Unlike a normal Pikachu and Eevee, these are capable of Gigantamaxing, but they cannot evolve.

Pokemon Home Gifts

Magearna, Rotom, Pichu, And More

You can get a handful of free Pokemon just for using Pokemon Home. When you first log into the service, you'll be able to choose one of the original three starter Pokemon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Each of these will have its Hidden Ability. You'll also find a free Pikachu waiting in your gift box.

You can get a couple of other free Pokemon for completing certain activities as well. The first time you trade a Pokemon via the GTS, you'll receive a free Rotom, and you can get a free Eevee the first time you trade a Pokemon through Wonder Box. You'll also find a free Pichu waiting in your gift box the first time you place stickers in your Binder. Finally, if you register the entire National Pokedex in Home, you'll be rewarded with Original Color Magearna.

Galar Starters

If you transfer a Pokemon from Sword or Shield to Pokemon Home, you'll receive the three Galar starters: Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. Each one has its Hidden Ability, which up until now have not been available in Sword and Shield. After making a transfer, log into the mobile version of Pokemon Home and you'll find the three starters waiting in your gift box.

Armorite Ore

Because more than one million trainers successfully defeated Zeraora in Max Raids, The Pokemon Company is giving out a Shiny Zeraora and a bundle of Armorite Ore to all players for a limited time. While the Shiny Zeraora is no longer available, you can still claim the Armorite Ore bundle if you haven't yet. To get it, first transfer a Pokemon from Sword or Shield to Pokemon Home (or vice versa). Afterward, access your gift box in Pokemon Home on mobile and you'll find a download code for the Armorite Ore. Input that code into Mystery Gift in your copy of Sword or Shield and you'll receive the free present.