‘Pokémon’ Gets Its Own Free-To-Play Battle Simulator

Pokémon Champions has launched for the Nintendo Switch.

This new installment in the franchise is marketed as a battle simulator that ditches the usual RPG conventions of the Pokémon games. Users will be able to import their Pokémon from other titles in the franchise and make teams to fight players online.

The idea is that the game will expand into an inter-generational tool for competitive players to customize rulesets, playstyles and teams.

However, there will be some key differences in combat.

First, game director Masaaki Hoshino noted in an interview with GameSpot that, besides Pikachu, Pokémon will only appear in their fully-evolved forms.

Champions will also adopt the gimmicks of later Pokémon games the longer it is out. Players can currently tap into Mega Evolutions, but features like Z-Moves and Dynamax transformations will be unlocked down the road. Furthermore, fans can find a variety of game modes, including ranked, casual, and private matches.

To call upon your Pokémon you’ve collected in other games, you can use the Pokémon Home app on the Switch or mobile devices. Pokémon Home is a storage service for users to store Pokémon they’ve caught throughout the franchise. Players can then transfer their Pokémon to other games if they’re present in said game’s Pokédex. Thus, you can assemble your Pokémon from Home into Champions and create your dream team.

Titles that work with Pokémon Home are Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu/Eevee, Pokémon Sword and Shield, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Pokémon Go.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen will soon be compatible, as well.

Pokémon Home originally stores up to 30 Pokémon, but purchasing the Premium Plan boosts that number up to 6,000. The Plan costs $3 for one month, $5 for three months, and $16 for a year.

On the other hand, fans can also experience playing with different Pokémon in-game, with Pokémon Champions‘ own lottery. Each day, players have a different selection of Pokémon to pick from. These Pokémon can only be kept for seven days unless they are purchased permanently using the game’s currency, “Victory Points.” These Victory Points are earned in ranked battles, and they can also be used to tweak a Pokémon’s stats, as well as swap out its attacks.

Continuing on, the game has some additional content for purchase.

Pokémon Champions has a baseline storage limit of 30 Pokémon, but fans can get additional storage, unlock exclusive music and missions, and gain the ability to create more teams with a Premium Membership. This should cost approximately $44 a year.

A Starter Pack can also be purchased for $7 and includes 30 Teammate Tickets, 50 Training Tickets and an additional 50 storage slots.

The game will also have Battle Passes with a free and a premium paid track. This comes into play because certain items, like cosmetics and Mega Stones, can only be obtained through the premium pass. These should allegedly be about $9 per season.

Finally, it appears that the Pokémon Korea website accidentally revealed that a mobile version of Pokémon Champions will be available in June 2026.