The new free-to-start battle sim could be great for competitive Pokémon, but it’s got some kinks to work out first.
The new free-to-start battle sim could be great for competitive Pokémon, but it’s got some kinks to work out first.
by Kallie PlaggeApr 11, 2026, 3:00 PM UTCKallie Plagge is The Verge’s senior copy editor. She was previously senior copy editor at Polygon and reviews editor at GameSpot.
Like many live-service games before it, Pokémon Champions’ launch has been messy. The free-to-start battle sim, which is out now on the Switch and Switch 2 (and also coming to mobile later