Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl 1.3.0 update finally brings GWS, Darkrai and Arceus events

An event 15 years in the making

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl has been updated to version 1.3.0, and it brings with it some long-awaited features, including an event that’s been 15 years in the making.

The new update, which is available to download now, finally introduces the Global Wonder Station, or GWS, which was a feature that was announced before the game even launched and has been missing thus far until today. The GWS facilitates Wonder Trades, much like previous Pokémon games, where you throw a Pokémon out into the world and get traded a random one back.

Perhaps more interestingly, though, are the two new Mythical Pokémon events added in this patch. The first is the Darkrai event, which gives you a Member Card and allows you to travel to Newmoon Island, where you can battle and catch the Mythical Pokémon Darkrai. This event will be available via Mystery Gift, meaning it’ll be a limited-time only event, which will run from the 1st of April through to the 1st of May.

The second event is an event that previously appeared in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, but was never officially distributed. This event grants you access to the Azure Flute, which you can play at the top of Mount Coronet to summon stairs to the Hall of Origin. Here, you’ll be able to battle and catch Arceus, the creator of all things. Unlike the Darkrai event, the Arceus event will always be available, through detected save date for Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Both events will require you to have finished Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and the Arceus event will require you to have finished all Main Quests in Pokémon Legends Arceus.

There’s still no word on when Pokémon HOME will be updated to support Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, and Legends: Arceus, but we’ll bring you that news as it becomes available.

You can read the full Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl patch notes for version 1.3.0 below.

Ver. 1.3.0 (Released March 15, 2022)

Added an event related to Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
- If a user on a Nintendo Switch system has save data from Pokémon Legends: Arceus that meets set requirements, that player can take part in a special event to meet the Mythical Pokémon Arceus when playing the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Pokémon Shining Pearl games.
- Further details can be found here.
Added a network-trading feature at GWS.
- It is now possible to trade Pokémon online at the GWS in Jubilife City.
- Note: A Nintendo Switch Online membership (paid service) is required to trade Pokémon online.
Some issues have been fixed for more pleasant gameplay.

Oliver Brandt

Deputy Editor, sometimes-reviewer, and Oxford comma advocate. If something's published on Vooks, there's a good chance I looked over it first. I spend way too much on games and use way too many em dashes.