Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version on Nintendo Switch can now connect with Pokémon HOME, opening a new route for Pokémon caught in the Kanto adventures to move into the wider series. The update also gives players a separate reason to link up: completing the FireRed and LeafGreen Pokédex earns a Mythical Pokémon Celebi gift in the mobile version of Pokémon HOME.
The new compatibility matters for two distinct reasons. First, Pokémon befriended in FireRed or LeafGreen can be transferred into Pokémon HOME, the utility app that functions as a cross-game Pokémon storage service on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. From there, those Pokémon can be brought into other Pokémon games. The update specifically confirms that they can visit Pokémon Champions for future battles.
Second, HOME now tracks Pokédex registrations from the two games. That means the Celebi reward is tied to completing the FireRed and LeafGreen Pokédex, rather than to sending every registered creature out of its original game. It is a welcome distinction for players who want to pursue the reward while keeping their in-game collection where it is.
What the new Pokémon HOME connection does
Once FireRed or LeafGreen is connected to Pokémon HOME, Pokémon from either title can be transferred into HOME. In practical terms, this adds those games to the broader ecosystem built around taking compatible Pokémon between adventures and, where supported, into battle-focused experiences.
The named destination is Pokémon Champions. The update says transferred FireRed and LeafGreen Pokémon can visit that game, giving players an avenue to take Pokémon raised in these Kanto titles into their next battles. It does not detail which individual Pokémon, moves, forms, or battle rules may apply after transfer, so players should not assume more than the confirmed compatibility.
Pokémon HOME itself launched on February 12, 2020, and is available on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Its role is utility rather than a conventional adventure: it is the connecting layer that makes a transfer possible between supported Pokémon software. That distinction is important here because the Celebi gift is claimed in HOME’s mobile version, while the game-to-HOME connection starts with the Switch versions of FireRed and LeafGreen.
Transfers out of FireRed and LeafGreen are permanent
The most important practical warning is straightforward: a Pokémon moved from Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version into Pokémon HOME cannot return to FireRed or LeafGreen.
This is a one-way transfer, not a temporary deposit. A player considering a move should treat it as a permanent decision for that individual Pokémon’s place in their FireRed or LeafGreen save. The update also establishes the reverse limitation: Pokémon originating in other Pokémon games cannot be brought into FireRed or LeafGreen.
Related coverage includes Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Now Link With Pokémon HOME.
That creates a closed inbound system and an outbound route. FireRed and LeafGreen can now contribute Pokémon to HOME, but they cannot receive Pokémon back from HOME or accept visitors from elsewhere in the series. For anyone organizing a long-term collection, it makes sense to decide which Pokémon should remain in the Kanto game before beginning transfers. A favorite party member, a carefully selected team, or a Pokémon being retained for that specific save may be worth leaving in place.
This does not mean players must choose between Pokédex progress and keeping their Pokémon in the game. The Celebi reward has been structured so that a transfer is not required for Pokédex registrations to count.
How the Celebi Pokédex reward works
Players can receive Mythical Pokémon Celebi in the mobile version of Pokémon HOME by completing the Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version Pokédex. In Pokémon terminology, a Pokédex is the record of Pokémon a player has registered or encountered within a game. Here, the relevant point is that the HOME reward recognizes registrations from these two titles after HOME has been connected.
There is no need to manually transfer every Pokémon into HOME to fill the relevant HOME Pokédex record. After the connection is established, a Pokémon registered in the Pokédex in FireRed or LeafGreen will also be registered in Pokémon HOME.
That removes what could otherwise have been an awkward trade-off. A completion reward based solely on transfers would pressure players to export Pokémon from a game that cannot receive them back. Instead, the system lets Pokédex progress carry over as registration data while the Pokémon themselves can remain in FireRed or LeafGreen.
It is worth separating two actions that may sound similar but have very different consequences:
- Pokédex registration: Once HOME is connected, Pokémon registered in FireRed or LeafGreen are registered in HOME for the purpose of this Pokédex progress. This does not require transferring that Pokémon away.
- Pokémon transfer: Moving a specific Pokémon to HOME makes it available for supported destinations, including Pokémon Champions, but permanently prevents it from returning to FireRed or LeafGreen.
For a player focused on earning Celebi, the first action is the crucial one. For a player focused on using a particular Kanto Pokémon in later software, the second is the route to consider—carefully.
What “Mythical Pokémon” means in this context
Celebi is identified as a Mythical Pokémon in the reward details. The update does not attach competitive attributes, a move set, or any further conditions to the gift, so the confirmed takeaway is limited but meaningful: completing the specified Pokédex unlocks a Celebi gift through the mobile HOME app.
Players should also avoid conflating the Celebi reward with a FireRed or LeafGreen transfer. Celebi is presented as a HOME mobile gift for Pokédex completion. The information provided does not say that it is received inside either Kanto game, nor does it say that receiving Celebi changes the one-way transfer rule. Since other-game Pokémon cannot enter FireRed or LeafGreen, it should not be assumed that the reward can be imported into those titles.
A sensible order of operations
For those approaching the update primarily for the reward, the least risky path is to connect Pokémon HOME first and then continue registering Pokémon in FireRed or LeafGreen until the relevant Pokédex is complete. Because registrations count without exports, there is no stated need to transfer a Pokémon merely to advance the Celebi objective.
- Connect Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version with Pokémon HOME.
- Check and continue the Pokédex registrations in the Kanto game or games.
- Allow those registrations to be recognized by HOME through the connection.
- Complete the FireRed and LeafGreen Pokédex requirement.
- Claim the Celebi gift in the mobile version of Pokémon HOME.
- Only after that, decide whether individual Pokémon are worth permanently transferring to HOME for use in compatible software such as Pokémon Champions.
That order follows the limitations rather than fighting them. It preserves the option to keep Pokémon in their original game while pursuing the reward, then makes transfer decisions one Pokémon at a time.
Why this update is bigger than a storage option
For many players, Pokémon HOME compatibility is about continuity: a Pokémon obtained in one game can remain part of a collection or travel to a newer compatible destination. FireRed and LeafGreen now have that outbound path, and Pokémon Champions gives those transfers a clearly stated battle destination.
But the update’s design is also notable for recognizing Pokédex work without demanding irreversible moves. FireRed and LeafGreen players can have their registrations acknowledged by HOME and pursue Celebi without emptying boxes or breaking up a party. The remaining choice—whether a particular Pokémon should leave Kanto forever—belongs to the player.
Anyone looking for more Pokémon coverage can also browse our Pokémon Prime Day deal picks spanning LEGO, games, books, and board games. For this update, though, the essentials are clear: connect HOME, let Pokédex registrations count, collect Celebi through the mobile app once the requirement is met, and remember that transfers from FireRed and LeafGreen do not have a return trip.
