Pokémon Bank app launches in December and will run you $4.99 a year

With Pokémon X & Y releasing next week, Nintendo has announced a new app which works as a bank, allowing users to store Pokémon caught in Black & White and transfer them over into X&Y.

The service will cost $4.99 and year and will be compatible with future Pokémon games. The annual fee supports the app's maintenance, and the app makes things easier as 3DS cannot "communicate directly" with DS systems.

So, what is the difference between this and Poké Transporter? We'll let Nintendo tell you:

"Poké Transporter is companion software that works together with Pokémon Bank to transfer Pokémon from your copies of Pokémon Black, Pokémon White, Pokémon Black 2, and Pokémon White 2 to your own private Boxes hosted online through the Pokémon Bank service," reads the FAQ.

"After downloading Pokémon Bank, you can download Poké Transporter for no charge."

The app will release on December 27 and a free 30-day trial will be offered to those who download and open Pokémon Bank by January 31, 2014.

Pokémon X & Y launches worldwide on October 12.

Thanks, Shack.