{"id":39529,"date":"2026-03-27T00:42:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T16:42:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=39529"},"modified":"2026-03-27T00:42:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T16:42:43","slug":"pokemon-champions-release-date-details","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=39529","title":{"rendered":"Pokemon Champions release date &#038; details"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Back in the last Pokemon Day, we were told that <b>Pokemon Champions<\/b>, an upcoming title in the franchise, was set to be released in April 2026 for Nintendo consoles. Well, ready your Switches, because it\u2019s been given an exact release date: <b>8 April<\/b>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"_embedContainer_wioo3_16\">\n<div class=\"_container_1stzb_1\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/pOfW-qdsvpU\/sddefault.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/pOfW-qdsvpU\/hqdefault.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_facade_1stzb_5\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/pOfW-qdsvpU\/hqdefault.jpg\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><button class=\"_playButton_1stzb_12\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"_playButtonText_1stzb_39\">Play<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"bring-in-your-existing-squad-to-pokemon-champions\" class=\"_subHeading1_1k87u_111 _base_1k87u_1\">Bring in your existing squad to Pokemon Champions<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"Pokemon Champions makes full use of the Pokemon Home cloud, allowing you to bring your most trained of pocket monsters to battles.\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"1140\" height=\"760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ed9de41d5770a8ef70d62546788dcf31b3c0e918e1bfc18693f6b2d1cee99308?w=330&amp;q=85 330w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ed9de41d5770a8ef70d62546788dcf31b3c0e918e1bfc18693f6b2d1cee99308?w=530&amp;q=85 530w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ed9de41d5770a8ef70d62546788dcf31b3c0e918e1bfc18693f6b2d1cee99308?w=660&amp;q=85 660w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ed9de41d5770a8ef70d62546788dcf31b3c0e918e1bfc18693f6b2d1cee99308 1140w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ed9de41d5770a8ef70d62546788dcf31b3c0e918e1bfc18693f6b2d1cee99308?w=660&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">Pokemon Champions makes full use of the Pokemon Home cloud, allowing you to bring your most trained of pocket monsters to battles.<\/p>\n<p>Image: The Pokemon Company.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">The pitch for Champions is pretty straightforward; it\u2019s a free-to-play online battler, where you fight other trainers with your Pokemon. It brings to mind Pokemon Showdown, the most popular fan-made online battle sim, though Champions is made to reach players who are more embedded in the mainstream Pokemon ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">That\u2019s because the <b>Pokemon Home<\/b> cloud system is a core component of Champions. Via Home, you can withdraw the Pokemon you\u2019ve recruited across multiple titles and connect them to use in Champions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Supported games include Scarlet and Violet, Legends Z-A and Arceus, as well as Pokemon Go. An important note, though: only Pokemon supported by Champions can be used in the game (the full list of supported Pokemon has not been published so far).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"The list of games supported by Pokemon Home. Note that only Pokemon supported in Champions will appear in the game.\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"1140\" height=\"760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/6845ab89f80591d4ea9cabc4c7b9253747a42bff59216c04e6c58496ae508046?w=330&amp;q=85 330w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/6845ab89f80591d4ea9cabc4c7b9253747a42bff59216c04e6c58496ae508046?w=530&amp;q=85 530w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/6845ab89f80591d4ea9cabc4c7b9253747a42bff59216c04e6c58496ae508046?w=660&amp;q=85 660w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/6845ab89f80591d4ea9cabc4c7b9253747a42bff59216c04e6c58496ae508046 1140w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/6845ab89f80591d4ea9cabc4c7b9253747a42bff59216c04e6c58496ae508046?w=660&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">The list of games supported by Pokemon Home. Note that only Pokemon supported in Champions will appear in the game.<\/p>\n<p>Image: The Pokemon Company.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Thanks to this recruitment method, your team will mostly consist of Pokemon you\u2019ve already trained, at least to start with. But before you can put those hundreds of hours in Scarlet to good use, do note that like pretty much every other cloud service, you\u2019ll need to pay to get the most out of it; a free Basic plan only gives you a maximum of 30 Pokemon that can be deposited into Home, while a Premium plan gives you 6,000. Pricing for the plans can be found here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">But Home isn\u2019t the only way to get Pokemon for Champions. You can also recruit Pokemon within Champions itself, though there are a few caveats; at the start you\u2019ll get a random selection of Pokemon every day, and you can only pick one to recruit. And even then, those Pokemon can only be used for a week.\u00a0But there are ways to get around this the more you play.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"victory-points-battle-modes-and-mega-evolutions\" class=\"_subHeading1_1k87u_111 _base_1k87u_1\">Victory Points, Battle Modes and Mega Evolutions<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"Victory Points (or VP) is the game\u2019s XP system, and can be used to further train your Pokemon.\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/a08a84cab1411127a75adae8fdcac1256270410fd1a2c26b39a137e24d34b2a6?w=330&amp;q=85 330w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/a08a84cab1411127a75adae8fdcac1256270410fd1a2c26b39a137e24d34b2a6?w=530&amp;q=85 530w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/a08a84cab1411127a75adae8fdcac1256270410fd1a2c26b39a137e24d34b2a6?w=660&amp;q=85 660w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/a08a84cab1411127a75adae8fdcac1256270410fd1a2c26b39a137e24d34b2a6 1200w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/a08a84cab1411127a75adae8fdcac1256270410fd1a2c26b39a137e24d34b2a6?w=660&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777;contain-intrinsic-size:1200px 675px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">Victory Points (or VP) is the game\u2019s XP system, and can be used to further train your Pokemon.<\/p>\n<p>Image: The Pokemon Company.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Champions will allow you to recruit more than one Pokemon a day, and even add them permanently to your collection. This is primarily done via <b>Victory Points (VP)<\/b>, the game\u2019s XP system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">You\u2019ll need VP to do pretty much everything in this game. Apart from getting around the in-game recruitment limitations, VP will also allow you to train your Pokemon, via stat upgrades and swapping learned moves, and it acts as a currency for the in-game cosmetics and items shop.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Luckily though, VP is pretty easy to come across, as it\u2019s rewarded after each battle. They\u2019re not directly purchasable either, though this doesn\u2019t mean Champions is free from in-game purchases; like most online games now, players can purchase premium Battle Passes for added rewards, on top of the regular Battle Pass.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Those added rewards include Mega Stones, as well as Quick Coupons and Teammate Tickets; the latter two are alternative ways to temporarily and permanently recruit Pokemon in Champions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">There\u2019s also a Pokemon Champions + Starter Pack bundle which will be available at launch. The Starter Pack will come with some minor benefits, including a new battle track and additional Pokemon storage space, according to this translation from the Pokemon Global News fanpage.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"New Mega Evolution Pokemon from Legends Z-A will also make their appearances in Champions, too.\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/56c510354dce9074484c2dbfebb007788edd9e25d2389fa11aae52109ce1c0c7?w=330&amp;q=85 330w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/56c510354dce9074484c2dbfebb007788edd9e25d2389fa11aae52109ce1c0c7?w=530&amp;q=85 530w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/56c510354dce9074484c2dbfebb007788edd9e25d2389fa11aae52109ce1c0c7?w=660&amp;q=85 660w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/56c510354dce9074484c2dbfebb007788edd9e25d2389fa11aae52109ce1c0c7 1200w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/56c510354dce9074484c2dbfebb007788edd9e25d2389fa11aae52109ce1c0c7?w=660&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777;contain-intrinsic-size:1200px 675px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">New Mega Evolution Pokemon from Legends Z-A will also make their appearances in Champions, too.<\/p>\n<p>Image: The Pokemon Company.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Finally, Champions also includes a series of <b>Battle Modes<\/b>. It\u2019s the usual fare for an online game like this \u2013 a ranked mode, a casual mode and private rooms for battles with friends. There will also be online competitions with specific rulesets, which will change every season, and battles can be conducted either in Singles or Doubles as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Finally, seeing as Pokemon Legends Z-A is the most recent high-profile Pokemon game to be released, Champions will also support some of Z-A\u2019s <b>new Mega Evolutions<\/b>. These include Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, Mega Feraligatr, as well as Mega Dragonite. <\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">As mentioned, Pokemon Champions will be free-to-play, and will come to Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on 8 April, the latter console getting graphical upgrades. We\u2019re still missing information on one key aspect of Champions, however: the mobile versions. Currently, we only have a release window for when it\u2019ll come to <b>Android and iOS<\/b>, that being <b>Summer 2026<\/b>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hardwarezone.com.sg\/entertainment\/gaming\/pokemon-champions-nintendo-switch-2-gaming-launch-details\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Back in the last Pokemon Day, we were told that Pokemon Champions, an upcoming title in the franchise, was set to be released in April&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39530,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[11919,752,3472,2879,563],"class_list":["post-39529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-gadgets-reviews","tag-champions","tag-date","tag-details","tag-pokemon","tag-release","wpcat-32-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/39530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}