Pokemon Champions Release Date Speculation, Trailer, Gameplay & More

A brand-new Pokemon battle experience is heading our way with Pokemon Champions, an upcoming competitive PvP game announced during February 2025’s Pokemon Presents.

Developed by The Pokemon Works with support from Game Freak, the game is set to launch on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, bringing cross-platform Pokemon battles to a wider audience than ever before.

Including thoughts about a potential release window, the latest trailer, and gameplay, here’s everything we know about Pokemon Champions so far. 

Pokemon Champions’ Potential Release Date Window

While there’s no official release date yet, but we believe Pokemon Champions will have a release date sometime in 2026. 

That’s because its trailer only stated that it’s “now in development”, along with Pokemon Legends Z-A — shown in the same presentation — is slated for late 2025. Because of this, we’re assuming The Pokemon Company wouldn’t want to release Champions so close to that of another fully-fledged adventure title.

In order to give Pokemon Champions as much attention as possible, we think Nintendo and The Pokemon Company will want to create a bit of distance from Z-A by releasing it later.

Related: Which Starter Should You Choose in Pokemon Legends: Z-A?

Pokemon Champions Trailer Breakdown

The reveal trailer might not show loads of Pokemon Champions gameplay, but it offers a glimpse into the game’s aesthetic and tone. It starts with a nostalgic look at Pokemon battling’s evolution across Nintendo consoles, before shifting to a real-time battle between two players — one on a mobile device, the other on a Nintendo Switch. 

The setting is in a massive, futuristic battle arena packed with cheering crowds and dazzling spotlights, giving the game a larger-than-life esports vibe.

The trailer’s highlight is a flashy showdown featuring Charizard and Samurott squaring off against Dondozo and Aegislash in what looks like a 1v1 or 2v2 format. The visuals scream high-energy spectacle, suggesting that battles in Pokemon Champions will have far more visual pizzazz compared to the graphics seen in Scarlet & Violet.

Related: Pokémon Legends: Z-A Can Fix One Major Gen IX Drawback

Gameplay & Features

While details are scarce, Pokemon Champions is confirmed to focus exclusively on battles rather than traditional catching and exploration. Players will be able to connect to Pokemon Home, allowing them to bring their favorite Pokemon from past games into the fray. 

The cross-play functionality between Switch and mobile hints at a more accessible yet deeply competitive online experience.

With Game Freak involved in planning, Pokemon Champions could be a serious attempt to create a dedicated Pokemon esports title. Whether it leans toward casual fun or hardcore ranked battles remains to be seen, but for now, all eyes are on the next trailer drop—and, of course, that elusive release date.

Now you know all there is about Pokemon Champions for now, find out all of the Pokemon confirmed in Legends: Z-A so far. Better yet, take a look at what the “A” stands for in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, so you’re up to date on essential trivia.