There was a desperate hope that Pokémon Champions would finally be the definitive competitive hub we’ve been promised for years. After the absolute masterpiece that was Pokopia, I was ready to dive headfirst into the next era of the pocket monster.
Instead, I feel like I’ve just been hit with a Confusion ray.
Ok I get it, it’s “Free to Play”, but coming off the back of Pokopia’s polish, jumping into Pokémon Champions feels less like a step forward and more like a massive leap into a very shallow pool. If Pokopia was a refined five-course meal, Champions was like snacking on a lukewarm packet of chips found down the back of the couch cushions.
Where is Everyone?
We have to talk about the roster. Currently we live in a world with over 1,000 unique Pokémon. It is 2026, yet Pokémon Champions has launched with a measly 185 creatures. I understand the developer’s argument that a rotating, limited pool keeps the meta-game from becoming a bloated mess, but starting with less than 20% of the National Dex feels stingy.
It’s hard to feel like a “Champion” when half of your favourite competitive builds are sitting on the sidelines because their species didn’t make the invite list.
The Battle System
The biggest point of contention, and the one that actually made me put the controller down to pace around the room, is the baffling omission of 6v6 Single Battles. For many of us, 6v6 is the “pure” Pokémon experience. It’s the format we grew up with, the format that rewards long-term strategy and clever pivoting.
Restricting the game to smaller formats or specific VGC-style doubles is a choice that feels unnecessarily restrictive. In the words of several disgruntled trainers online: “how can you market a game about “playing your way” while locking the door on the most iconic battle format in the franchise’s history?”
It’s hard to disagree.
A Sparse Tool Belt
Then we have the items. If you’re a competitive player, you know that a Pokémon is only as good as the tool it’s holding. As far as we can tell there are currently only about 30 non-Mega Stone items in the game.
Staples like the Life Orb, Choice Specs, and Assault Vest are nowhere to be seen. It’s like being asked to win a car race but being told you aren’t allowed to use third gear or high-octane fuel. It over simplifies the game ripping out the creative strategies that make high-level play so engaging.
The Technical Hiccup
Finally, we have to address the elephant in the room: the performance. We are playing on the Switch 2, a piece of hardware that has shown it can handle some truly beautiful environments. So why does Pokémon Champions look like a relic of the past? Especially when the teaser promos looked incredible. Part of it must be down to the release on the original switch as well, but it is also coming to IOS and Android so maybe it’s just globally nerfed?
Having said that watching my Tyranitar stutter through an animation at 30 frames per second in 2026 feels wrong especially coming from the fluid, vibrant world of Pokopia, the visual downgrade here is jarring.
Is There Hope?
The only saving grace is that Pokémon Champions is a live-service title. The developers have stated they want this to last so in theory, that means they can listen to the outcry, add the missing items, expand the roster, and patch the performance. It’s not completely broken, its just not at all what we were expecting.
As it stands, my session left me feeling less than excited. Here’s hoping the first major update brings the thunder, because right now, this “Champion” needs a long nap and a lot more Choice Specs.
Pokemon Champions should be a hit but currently “It’s not very effective”.
