Pokémon Champions Release Window Announced: Nintendo Switch Launch Set for April 2026
The Pokémon Company has officially announced the release window for Pokémon Champions, the latest entry poised to energize the competitive Pokémon scene.
Originally teased during last year’s Pokémon Presents, Pokémon Champions is positioned as the next major hub for Pokémon battling, set to arrive on Nintendo Switch in April 2026.
Alongside this highly anticipated Switch launch, a mobile version of Pokémon Champions is scheduled to follow later this year, expanding the accessibility of the franchise’s competitive battles. The announcement was made in a brand-new trailer unveiled by The Pokémon Company, which, while not overflowing with novel gameplay details, underscored the game’s central focus on delivering the definitive battle experience for both seasoned competitors and newcomers.
Pokémon Champions builds on the legacy of Pokémon’s robust competitive play, ensuring high-intensity, strategic matches will be at its core. Early Download Rewards and Mega Stone Bonuses As confirmed by The Pokémon Company, players who download Pokémon Champions during the initial launch period will receive Dragonite and its Mega Stone as special bonuses.
This incentive is designed to reward dedicated fans and encourage early adoption of the free-to-start title via the Nintendo Switch eShop and mobile app stores. Pokémon HOME Integration Detailed Integration with Pokémon HOME has also been made a significant highlight.
Players will be able to bring specific Pokémon—including Chesnaught, Delphox, Greninja, and Eternal Flower Floette—into Pokémon Champions from Pokémon Legends: Z-A using the HOME service.
Those who import these Pokémon will receive the corresponding Mega Stones in their in-game mailbox, offering a competitive edge and bridging the experience between Pokémon titles. Explaining the process, The Pokémon Company stated that integration allows trainers to move eligible Pokémon into Champions as visitors and return them to Pokémon HOME when desired.
However, only Pokémon featured in Champions can be transferred over.
Unique to Champions, if a visiting Pokémon possesses moves not present within the game, those moves must be relearned using Champions’ training systems.
Progress and learned skills made within Champions will transfer back with the Pokémon, encouraging portability and ongoing progression across the ecosystem of connected Pokémon titles.
Importantly, Pokémon caught or obtained within Champions cannot be sent back to HOME, maintaining balance and exclusivity within each platform’s environment. Connecting Competitive Communities The arrival of Pokémon Champions on Nintendo Switch—one of the world’s best-selling gaming platforms—signals Nintendo’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the Pokémon competitive community.
With support for Pokémon HOME and cross-title compatibility, fans from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon GO, and other popular games in the series will have new ways to bring their favorite partners into battle, heightening both engagement and replayability. Pokémon Champions is slated for an April 2026 launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch, with the mobile version following later in the year.
Players are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates from The Pokémon Company, as more detailed information about features, gameplay modes, and the exact release date is expected in the coming months.
Originally teased during last year’s Pokémon Presents, Pokémon Champions is positioned as the next major hub for Pokémon battling, set to arrive on Nintendo Switch in April 2026.
Alongside this highly anticipated Switch launch, a mobile version of Pokémon Champions is scheduled to follow later this year, expanding the accessibility of the franchise’s competitive battles. The announcement was made in a brand-new trailer unveiled by The Pokémon Company, which, while not overflowing with novel gameplay details, underscored the game’s central focus on delivering the definitive battle experience for both seasoned competitors and newcomers.
Pokémon Champions builds on the legacy of Pokémon’s robust competitive play, ensuring high-intensity, strategic matches will be at its core. Early Download Rewards and Mega Stone Bonuses As confirmed by The Pokémon Company, players who download Pokémon Champions during the initial launch period will receive Dragonite and its Mega Stone as special bonuses.
This incentive is designed to reward dedicated fans and encourage early adoption of the free-to-start title via the Nintendo Switch eShop and mobile app stores. Pokémon HOME Integration Detailed Integration with Pokémon HOME has also been made a significant highlight.
Players will be able to bring specific Pokémon—including Chesnaught, Delphox, Greninja, and Eternal Flower Floette—into Pokémon Champions from Pokémon Legends: Z-A using the HOME service.
Those who import these Pokémon will receive the corresponding Mega Stones in their in-game mailbox, offering a competitive edge and bridging the experience between Pokémon titles. Explaining the process, The Pokémon Company stated that integration allows trainers to move eligible Pokémon into Champions as visitors and return them to Pokémon HOME when desired.
However, only Pokémon featured in Champions can be transferred over.
Unique to Champions, if a visiting Pokémon possesses moves not present within the game, those moves must be relearned using Champions’ training systems.
Progress and learned skills made within Champions will transfer back with the Pokémon, encouraging portability and ongoing progression across the ecosystem of connected Pokémon titles.
Importantly, Pokémon caught or obtained within Champions cannot be sent back to HOME, maintaining balance and exclusivity within each platform’s environment. Connecting Competitive Communities The arrival of Pokémon Champions on Nintendo Switch—one of the world’s best-selling gaming platforms—signals Nintendo’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the Pokémon competitive community.
With support for Pokémon HOME and cross-title compatibility, fans from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon GO, and other popular games in the series will have new ways to bring their favorite partners into battle, heightening both engagement and replayability. Pokémon Champions is slated for an April 2026 launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch, with the mobile version following later in the year.
Players are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates from The Pokémon Company, as more detailed information about features, gameplay modes, and the exact release date is expected in the coming months.
