Pokémon Champions Launches Mobile Multiplayer Next Year

• Pokémon Champions arrives on mobile devices and Nintendo Switch in 2026.
• Engage in multiplayer battles using your Pokémon from Scarlet and Violet.
• You can also recruit and train Pokémon directly within the game.

Today's Pokémon Presents delivered several exciting updates. The standout announcement was Pokémon Champions, a new game dedicated entirely to the competitive battling side of the franchise.

Scheduled for a 2026 launch on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch, it supports cross-platform play and is compatible with Pokémon Home as well as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. For the first time, you can bring all the Pokémon you’ve collected and trained over the years into mobile battles. While you have the option to recruit new Pokémon within Champions itself, the real draw is using your existing partners.

Whether you assemble your team from Home or in-game, you can join ranked matches or set up private battles—ideal whether you want to challenge strangers online or repeatedly lose to a sibling who always picks the perfect counters. Choose between single or double battle formats to suit your strategy (though double battles are clearly the way to go).

A Pocket-Sized Pokémon Stadium?

Pokémon Champions offers versatile training options for your team. Adjust stats, teach new moves, modify natures, and even change abilities based on what we saw in the trailer. These upgrades appear to require in-game currency, so you might want to fine-tune your Chandelure in Scarlet before transferring it—unless there are transfer restrictions we don’t yet know about.

As someone who enjoys online battles—even if I tend to pick favorites over top-tier picks—I find the prospect thrilling. Being able to compete on my phone is something I’ve looked forward to since Pokémon Champions was first announced.

Pokémon Champions launches on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2026. While a specific release date hasn’t been shared yet, we’ll keep you updated. In the meantime, explore some of the best Pokémon games you can play on mobile right now.