Based on confirmation from the official website, we now have an idea of when the next big Pokémon entry is coming before we hit a new mainline generation.
Pokémon Officially Returns Next Month With A New Free Game
Champions Will Host Tournaments In The Future
Fans have been waiting for what feels like ages for Pokémon Champions, a new Switch and mobile entry that allows players to battle with their own Pokémon from various games. Right now, the primary connective tissue is Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, and it seems like Champions is going to be a major player this year in the Pokémon World Championships, replacing Scarlet & Violet entirely.
Strangely, though, it keeps getting pushed back. Originally slated for a 2025 release, Champions still isn’t out yet, but we do know that Nintendo now has a release window. As revealed by The Pokémon Company, Pokémon Champions is slated for release on Switch in April 2026. If you download the game “before a certain date,” you can get a Dragonite, as well as a few other bonuses (Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite, Greninjite, and Floettite stones),
As far as transfer goes, there are still some details to work out, and here is what The Pokémon Company has so far: “By linking Pokémon Champions to Pokémon Home, you will be able to bring certain Pokémon to Pokémon Champions as visitors, as well as send visiting Pokémon back to Pokémon Home. If visiting Pokémon know moves that can’t be used in Pokémon Champions, they will have to learn new moves via training. If you train visiting Pokémon in Pokémon Champions and return them to Pokémon HOME, they will retain those training results when they return to Pokémon Champions, unless they return in a different form.”
Pokémon Champions Could Be Huge
Especially If It’s Executed Well
As is the case with any Pokémon game, there’s a chance Champions could be huge. Even if the pro scene doesn’t keep using it, it will have official support for at least this year, and the idea of bringing in Pokémon from other games to battle is enticing.
The jury is still out, though, on Pokémon Champions. The competitive scene is very thorough, and they’ll be looking for the app to deliver on pretty much every front, to the point where it should at least be as functional as Scarlet & Violet as a baseline. Plus, we don’t know how long the competitive shelf life will be. The Pokémon Company has only confirmed that 2026 will use Champions, and Winds & Waves could be the format for 2027.
- Released
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April, 2026
- Developer(s)
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The Pokémon Works, Game Freak
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer