Pokemon Sword & Shield Update Now Live, Fixes Hacked Pokemon Crash

Nintendo has rolled out a new update for Pokemon Sword and Shield. The patch notes on Nintendo's support website simply say the v1.1.1 update "fixed several issues to improve gameplay experience," but it appears one of these was a dreaded crash caused by hacked Pokemon.

Many players have recently reported that they've received hacked Pokemon through Surprise Trade, which would cause the game to crash when trying to access the Y-Comm menu. Pokemon fansite Serebii reports that the new Sword and Shield patch resolves this issue, so you should be able to use Surprise Trade again without any worries.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX and the Switch version of Pokemon Home have also received new updates. However, the patch notes for both are likewise vague, only saying that the updates have "fixed several issues to improve gameplay experience."

In other Pokemon news, a new Max Raid event is currently underway in Sword and Shield. Until March 25, you're more likely to find Gigantamax versions of Machamp, Gengar, and Snorlax in Max Raid dens. You also have until the end of the month to claim a few freebies in the games, including 20 free Battle Points and a free Bottle Cap. You can see all the free gifts available right now for Pokemon Sword and Shield here.

Pokemon Sword and Shield are receiving two big, paid expansions later this year called Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. Each introduces new mechanics, items, characters, and areas to explore, as well as a variety of new and returning Pokemon. Isle of Armor is slated to launch in June, while The Crown Tundra will follow in fall.