Pokemon Sword & Shield players stunned by Isle of Armor discovery year after release

Some Pokemon Sword & Shield players were stunned after discovering a neat feature in the Isle of Armor DLC that went under the radar for some fans for almost a year.

Released in 2019, Gen 8’s Sword & Shield introduced fans to many new mechanics such as Dynamaxing and online raids. One of the game’s most overlooked features is its unique overworld spawns.

Fans playing the Nintendo Switch title were floored in May 2021 after stumbling upon a Pokemon almost a year after the Isle of Armor DLC made its debut. The incredible feature flew under the radar for some players for months.

Pokemon fans surprised by Isle of Armor feature

When exploring the Galar region, there are various locations where unique Pokemon will appear in the overworld. If you catch or knock the creature out, the character will disappear from the spot all together, only respawning after a set amount of time has passed.

Players booting up the Isle of Armor DLC for the first time are greeted with a special ‘mon like this as there is a GIANT Wailord sitting in Workout Sea. Fans were shocked when they learned that the massive ‘mon can actually show back up in the water again after catching it.

• Read More: Zarude is finally in Pokemon Sword & Shield
  

Unlike other Pokemon in the game, the unique Wailord’s respawn rate is somewhat different. While some players can encounter the creature again after a week or two, with others it can take months. For one Trainer, it took nearly an entire year.

The fan uploaded their encounter on the r/PokemonSwordandShield subreddit, stunned that the creature finally made another appearance. While Wailord respawning on the map again has been known since Isle of Armor launched, it flew under the radar for some fans.

“It comes back??? Wow I haven’t opened my game in a while, so I’ll be sure to go take a look. That’s really cool,” a user wrote in shock. Another surprised Trainer exclaimed, “And here I thought I had ruined my chances of taking pictures with the dude.”

One fan couldn’t resist and cracked an Avatar: The Last Airbender joke: “When the world needed him the most, he re-appeared.”

This is by no means new, and many Trainers have long known about the giant Pokemon’s ability to re-appear. However, due to its odd respawn rates, the epic feature flew under the radar for many.

• Read More: Player’s Shiny battle sabotaged by Joy-Con drift
  

It’s interesting that even a year later, some fans are still learning about game mechanics while exploring the Galar region.