After earlier giving us a general release window for the game, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have now confirmed the exact date you can get your battle on in Pokémon Champions for the Nintendo Switch – April 8, 2026.
The announcement comes with a lengthy new official Overview Trailer for the game, which goes over everything from different types of battle modes and formats, Pokémon training, Pokémon HOME integration and more.
The game will be “free-to-start” with monetisation plans including a paid Starter Pack bundle that comes with extra Pokémon storage, bonus music and some in-game ticket currency. There’ll also be a Premium Battle Pass and a paid Membership available, which will likely all tie in to the Victory Points (VP) system used to permanently recruit new Pokémon.
The Pokémon Company has also confirmed that the game will release for Nintendo Switch, but a free update at launch will give players “even clearer graphics” on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Take a look below:
And here’s a bit more of a description from the official Pokemon website:
Get ready for intense Pokémon battles! Pokémon Champions arrives on Nintendo Switch on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. The Pokémon Champions + Starter Pack bundle will also be available that day. This bundle includes the base game along with in-game benefits like added Pokémon storage space, an extra battle song, and more. Nintendo Switch 2 players will be able to download a free update to the game that allows you to enjoy the action with even clearer graphics.
In Pokémon Champions, you’ll engage in Pokémon battles like those in previous Pokémon titles. These battles will utilize familiar mechanics such as Pokémon types, Abilities, and moves, enabling the rich and varied battle strategies that players know and love. A mobile version of Pokémon Champions is also on the way, and you’ll be able to battle cross-platform between Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.
Pokémon Champions will also link with Pokémon HOME, allowing players to team up with certain Pokémon brought over from past Pokémon series games and Pokémon GO.
Among the Pokémon that will appear in Pokémon Champions are Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, and Mega Feraligatr, who all originally appeared in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. After undergoing Mega Evolution, some of these Pokémon will have never-before-seen Abilities in Pokémon Champions.
Mega Meganium will have the newly discovered Ability Mega Sol, which lets the Pokémon use its moves as if the weather were harsh sunlight. Mega Emboar has the Mold Breaker Ability, which causes its moves to be unaffected by the Ability of the target. Mega Feraligatr’s newly discovered Ability Dragonize turns Normal-type moves into Dragon-type moves and boosts their power by 20%.