The Pokémon Company has announced that Pokémon Champions will replace the mainline video game series as the official software for tournament play starting in 2026. This marks the first time since VGC (Video Game Championships) was introduced to Worlds in 2008 that the current mainline video game will not be featured at the World Championship. Pokémon Champions is a modern take on Pokémon Stadium, putting battles front and center and building on the systems found in the mainline games.
It is designed from the ground up to be a platform for competitive Pokémon battles that can evolve and grow independently of the mainline games. Next year’s Pokémon World Championship will feature three mobile games: Pokémon Go, Pokémon Unite, and Pokémon Champions. The fourth game, Pokémon TCG, also has a mobile game counterpart, Pokémon TCG Live.
Accessibility and approachability are key aspects of what Pokémon Champions aims to offer.
Pokémon Champions to redefine competition
The game will support cross-play and cross-save between mobile and Switch, as well as a way to start battling and collecting Pokémon for free.
Not all reactions have been positive. Some fans worry that moving competitive play to a mobile platform could diminish the prestige of VGC. Concerns also exist around the new platform being untested, with it set to launch in 2026, giving little time for players and developers to prepare for the next World Championship.
Despite these concerns, the potential benefits of Pokémon Champions are promising. The platform is purpose-built for competitive Pokémon and is expected to grow and adapt in ways that traditional video games cannot. The Pokémon Company’s bold move with Pokémon Champions signals a new era for competitive Pokémon, and the community will be closely watching the developments leading up to its launch in 2026.
