Trending Now - Pokémon Champions Set to Illuminate the Future of Battles
WHO:
Masaaki Hoshino, game producer and development director of Pokémon Champions, stated, "We're planning to keep Pokémon Champions going far into the future – basically forever, as long as the Pokémon series is continuing."
Masaaki Hoshino, game producer and development director of Pokémon Champions
The Pokémon Company International
Game Freak, original designer of Pokémon battles represented by Shigeki Morimoto
WHAT:
The Pokémon Company announced on March 24th, 2026, that Pokémon Champions will include a Battle Pass with a Premium track, seasonal rewards, and a Starter Pack that increases the Pokémon limit in boxes from 30 to 80.
The Champions Membership will allow players to keep more Pokémon and Battle Teams while gaining exclusive quests and music.
The Battle Pass is expected to cost around $9 each, the Starter Pack around $6, and the membership approximately $4.75 per month or $47 for the entire year.
Pokémon Champions is a new battle game set to be released as a "free-start-experience"
The game will allow players to download it from the eShop on Nintendo Switch
Pokémon Champions will feature a streamlined approach to team building, matchmaking, and obtaining Pokémon
The game will include Mega Evolution as a key component of battles
Effort Values (EVs) have been simplified from 252 points to 64
Individual Values (IVs) have been removed from Pokémon stats
The game will have Ranked, Casual, and Private Battles modes
Mega Stones will be available for purchase in the in-game store using VP earned from battles
At launch, only fully-evolved Pokémon will be available for use
WHERE:
The game will be available on Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and mobile devices
The championship finals for Pokémon battles will take place at Chase Center in San Francisco
WHEN:
Pokémon Champions will be released on April 8th, 2026, with a mobile version coming later in 2026.
Pokémon Champions will be released on April 8th, 2026
A mobile version of the game will be released later in 2026
WHY:
The game was created to keep Pokémon battles around "forever" and to support a wider audience
The simplification of battle mechanics aims to make the game more accessible to newcomers while retaining familiarity for veterans
HOW:
Pokémon captured in Pokémon Go, Scarlet & Violet, and Legends: Z-A can be transferred to Pokémon Champions through the Home service, but Pokémon Go players will not be able to transfer their creatures into the new service via Home.
The game will feature a live ops model, allowing for community feedback to improve the game over time
The development team plans to integrate cross-generational battle mechanics into Pokémon Champions
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 13:22 UTC)
On March 24, 2026, The Pokémon Company announced that Pokémon Champions will launch on April 8, 2026, featuring a Battle Pass with a Premium track, seasonal rewards, and a Starter Pack that expands the Pokémon limit in boxes from 30 to 80. Masaaki Hoshino, the game's producer, emphasized the commitment to the game’s longevity, stating they plan to keep it going as long as the Pokémon series continues. Players can also look forward to a Champions Membership that offers exclusive quests and music, with pricing set at around $9 for the Battle Pass, $6 for the Starter Pack, and approximately $4.75 a month or $47 for a year-long membership.
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(UPDATED March 26, 2026 11:19 UTC)
Pokémon Champions, a new battle game developed by Masaaki Hoshino and his team at The Pokémon Company International, is set to launch on April 8, 2026, for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and mobile devices. The game promises a streamlined approach to team building and matchmaking, featuring Mega Evolution as a key component, while simplifying Effort Values and removing Individual Values from Pokémon stats. Players will be able to engage in Ranked, Casual, and Private Battles, with Mega Stones available for purchase using in-game currency earned from battles, and the championship finals will take place at Chase Center in San Francisco.