After more than nine years of operation, the Pokémon Global Link (PGL) will terminate service on February 24, 2020, at 23:59 UTC. The PGL website will also be retired at this time. After PGL service has ended, you will no longer be able to use any gameplay features that require a connection to the PGL on your Pokémon Ultra Sun, Pokémon Ultra Moon, Pokémon Sun, or Pokémon Moon games. You will still be able to use other online functionality apart from the PGL, as detailed below.
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield will provide services similar to the PGL's Rating Battles and Online Competitions features and will be available to play via Nintendo Switch. However, note that membership in the Nintendo Switch Online (paid) service is required to participate in Online Competitions.
Thank you for using the PGL, and we hope you will continue to enjoy using the PGL until the service ends.
| Service Name | Status | Post-PGL Closure |
| PGL Site (https://3ds.pokemon-gl.com/) | × | Cannot be used. |
| PGL Login / New User Registration | × | Cannot be used. |
| Link Game Software | × | Cannot be used. |
| Game Sync | × | Cannot be used. |
| Game Sync ID issuance | × | Cannot be used. |
| Free Battle | 〇 | This does not make use of the PGL, so it can be used for the time being. |
| Rating Battle | × | Cannot be used. |
| Online Competitions | × | Online Competitions managed by the PGL have already ceased service. |
| Friendly Competitions — Live | △ | QR Codes can no longer be issued. However, you can use any code for which you have saved the image elsewhere. |
| Friendly Competitions — Internet | × | Cannot be used. |
| Distribution Regulations | △ | Information viewed via the PGL website cannot be viewed after closure, but this function itself does not use the PGL, so it can continue to be used. |
| Communication Battles — Local Wireless | 〇 | Can be used always. |
| Communication Trading — GTS | △ | Information viewed via the PGL website cannot be viewed after closure, but this function itself does not use the PGL, so it can continue to be used for the time being. |
| Communication Trading — Wonder Trade | 〇 | This does not make use of the PGL, so it can be used for the time being. |
| Communication Trading — Infrared | 〇 | Can be used always. |
| QR Rental Teams | △ | QR Codes can no longer be issued. However, you can use any code for which you have saved the image elsewhere. |
| Battle Videos | 〇 | These do not make use of the PGL, so they can be used for the time being. |
