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The Pokémon Company has officially confirmed that Pokémon Champions, its upcoming battle-focused title for Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, will launch on Nintendo Switch in April 2026. Designed to make Pokémon battles more accessible to players of all skill levels, the game aims to unite trainers across multiple platforms through streamlined competitive gameplay.
Players will be able to download Pokémon Champions digitally on Nintendo Switch, with the mobile version for iOS and Android scheduled to arrive later in Summer 2026. The title adopts a free-to-start model, allowing players to jump into battles at no cost while offering optional in-game purchases.
To celebrate the announcement, The Pokémon Company also released a new trailer alongside the game’s opening movie through the official Pokémon YouTube channel, offering fans an early look at its competitive systems and presentation.
Early Download Bonus: Dragonite Joins the Fight
Players who start playing Pokémon Champions before 31 August 2026 will receive a special Dragonite as an early-download bonus via the in-game mailbox. Continued play will also reward users with a Dragoninite stone through the Battle Pass system, enabling Dragonite to Mega Evolve into Mega Dragonite during battles.
The bonus Dragonite can be claimed on both the Nintendo Switch and mobile versions of the game. However, Pokémon obtained directly within Pokémon Champions cannot be transferred to Pokémon HOME.
Special Campaign Connected to Pokémon Legends: Z-A
In addition, a special collaboration campaign tied to Pokémon Legends: Z-A will launch alongside Pokémon Champions. Players who transfer specific Pokémon from Pokémon HOME — originally obtained in Pokémon Legends: Z-A — can unlock exclusive Mega Stones.
By bringing over Chesnaught, Delphox, Greninja, and Eternal Flower Floette as visiting Pokémon, players will receive their respective Mega Stones: Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite, Greninjite, and Floettite. These items allow the Pokémon to Mega Evolve during battles within Pokémon Champions.
The visitor system also allows compatible Pokémon from titles such as Pokémon GO and other series entries to appear in the game via Pokémon HOME integration. Only Pokémon supported within Pokémon Champions will be eligible for transfer, and certain moves may require adjustment through in-game training.
Pokémon Champions + Starter Pack
Alongside the base game, players can purchase the Pokémon Champions + Starter Pack on Nintendo Switch. This optional bundle provides several progression bonuses designed to accelerate early gameplay.
The Starter Pack expands Pokémon storage capacity by 50 additional slots, unlocks the “Battle! (Trainer Battle)” music track from Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, and grants Training Tickets and Teammate Tickets that help players train and recruit Pokémon without spending in-game VP currency.
The pack can only be purchased once per Nintendo Account, though players who already downloaded the standalone version can still buy it later without losing save data.
A New Step for Competitive Pokémon
With Pokémon Champions, The Pokémon Company is placing a stronger focus on competitive battling by bringing together Pokémon from multiple titles into one dedicated experience. Support for connectivity with Pokémon HOME also signals a broader push toward a more connected Pokémon ecosystem across platforms.
More details are expected ahead of the game’s launch on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices later this year, or you can check out their website.
Screenshots are from a title under development.
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