Overview
- The Pokémon Company confirmed Tuesday that Champions arrives on Nintendo Switch on April 8 with a free day-one update that improves visuals and performance on Switch 2.
- A mobile version is planned for later in 2026 and will enable cross‑play with Switch once it goes live.
- Champions is free to start with optional purchases, including a paid Starter Pack, a Premium Battle Pass, and a membership, though full pricing details were not disclosed.
- The battle-focused game supports Singles and Doubles across Ranked, Casual, and Private modes, links with Pokémon HOME for transfers from past games and one‑way moves from Pokémon GO, and uses Victory Points to recruit, train, and customize teams, with Mega Evolutions returning with new abilities for select species.
- Play! Pokémon will run early events in Champions beginning with Global Challenge I on May 1–4 and the Indianapolis Regional Championships on May 29–31, signaling a shift away from mainline titles at official tournaments.