Quick answer: Pokémon Champions is a standalone battle-focused game developed by The Pokémon Works for Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. The Nintendo Switch version arrives in April 2026, with mobile platforms following later that year. It supports Mega Evolution, Terastallization, Pokémon HOME integration, and will serve as the official platform for VGC tournament play.
What Pokémon Champions Actually Is
Pokémon Champions is a turn-based strategy spin-off that strips away the adventure and exploration of mainline Pokémon RPGs and zeroes in on one thing: battling. Think of it as a spiritual successor to Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Battle Revolution — games that let you focus on team composition, move selection, and competitive strategy without needing to trek through routes and catch wild creatures along the way. The game uses familiar mechanics like Pokémon types, Abilities, and moves, and it's designed to work for both newcomers learning the ropes and experienced competitive players refining their strategies.
This is the first title from The Pokémon Works, a joint venture between The Pokémon Company and ILCA (the studio behind Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl). The game supports 1–2 players and features cross-platform play between Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.
Platforms, Release Window, and Early Download Bonus
The Nintendo Switch version launches in April 2026 as a free download. iOS and Android versions are confirmed for later in 2026, though no specific month has been announced for mobile yet. Players who download the game before a certain cutoff date will receive a Dragonite delivered to their in-game mailbox — a nice incentive for early adopters, especially since Dragonite is confirmed to have access to Mega Evolution in the game.
Battle Mechanics and Supported Gimmicks
Pokémon Champions supports both Mega Evolution and Terastallization, two of the franchise's most popular battle gimmicks. Mega Evolution stones play a particularly prominent role at launch. To celebrate the game's release, an in-game campaign will distribute Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite, Greninjite, and Floettite — the Mega Stones for Chesnaught, Delphox, Greninja, and Eternal Flower Floette. You can obtain these stones by transferring the corresponding Pokémon from Pokémon Legends: Z-A through Pokémon HOME and bringing them into Pokémon Champions as visitors.
Pokémon HOME Integration and Roster Building
Linking Pokémon Champions to Pokémon HOME lets you bring certain Pokémon into the game as "visitors." Only Pokémon that appear in Pokémon Champions' roster are eligible to visit, so the full National Pokédex is not supported. If a visiting Pokémon knows moves that aren't available in Pokémon Champions, it will need to learn new moves through in-game training.
Training results carry over in an interesting way. If you train a visiting Pokémon in Champions and then send it back to HOME, it retains those training results when it returns to Champions later — unless it comes back in a different form. One important limitation: Pokémon obtained directly within Pokémon Champions cannot be sent to HOME. The transfer is essentially one-directional for native Champions Pokémon.
Beyond HOME transfers, you can also recruit Pokémon from within the game itself. An in-game currency system lets you acquire new Pokémon, handle EV training, and learn moves. The game launches with a limited selection of Pokémon, with more expected to be added over time.
In-Game Characters and Onboarding
When you first boot up Pokémon Champions, several NPC helpers guide you through the experience. Tatora assists with entering competitions, Kitt helps you partner with Pokémon at a location called Roster Ranch, and Cordy shares battle strategies as you progress. Two additional characters, Caraway and Kajima, greet you when you enter the Battle Arena. These NPCs function as a built-in tutorial system, easing newer players into the competitive structure.
Official Tournament Use and Competitive Implications
Perhaps the most significant detail for the competitive community: Pokémon Champions will replace the latest mainline game as the official platform for VGC (Video Game Championships) events organized by Play! Pokémon, including the Pokémon World Championships. This is a major shift. Previously, competitive play was always tied to whatever the current mainline RPG happened to be, which meant balancing competitive needs against the design of a single-player adventure game. Separating the two could give The Pokémon Company more flexibility to update battle mechanics, ban lists, and formats independently of mainline game development cycles.
For players who have relied on tools like Pokémon Showdown for competitive practice, the question of whether Champions will replace that community fixture remains open. Showdown's appeal has always been its accessibility, instant teambuilding, and zero cost. Whether Champions can match that convenience — especially given its in-game currency system for acquiring Pokémon and moves — will likely determine how the competitive community splits its time.
What Remains Unknown
Several key details are still unconfirmed. The exact size of the launch roster hasn't been specified, nor has the rate at which new Pokémon will be added post-launch. Whether the game will offer unique battle formats or cups beyond standard VGC rules — and whether those would be used in official tournaments or limited to casual and friendly play — is still unclear. The in-game currency economy, including how quickly you can earn currency through normal play, hasn't been detailed either. And while local multiplayer has been confirmed (supporting 1–2 players), the full scope of online matchmaking and ranked ladder systems hasn't been laid out.
With the Nintendo Switch launch just weeks away, more details will likely surface quickly. For now, Pokémon Champions represents the franchise's most deliberate attempt to build a standalone competitive battling platform — one that could reshape how official Pokémon tournaments operate for years to come.