Pokémon Champions is here, and we have a lot to cover. Pokémon Champions is a battle simulator. Don't download this game expecting single-player components. In this game, you go head-to-head with other Pokémon trainers.
You can compete in Ranked battles, Casual Battles, Private Battles, and enter Online Competitions. Right now, you can compete in single battles and double battles, and no format will allow you to use all 6 of your Pokémon.
For people who compete, do note that Pokémon Champions will be what the offical competive seen is using.
The Pokémon World Championships is the peak of competitive Pokémon play, and as a game designed for battling, it’s natural that Pokémon Champions will soon be a part of it. Pokémon Video Game Championships battles will take place on Pokémon Champions at the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco and in future Championship Series events.
Menu Explained
When you load into the game for the first time, you'll be asked to set up your account and have to play through a short tutorial. After that, you'll go through a few other tutorials before being let out into the main game. Be sure to stop by the mailbox to claim the early download bonus. You'll get Dragonite and 100 Quick Coupons.
Missons
Missions are divided by Daily Missions, Weekly Missions, Starter Missions, and Membership Missions. Completing them is straightforward, and they'll reward you with various prizes.
Shop
The Pokémon Champions Shop is divided into two different categories. The Premium Shop is where you can buy the upgraded Battle Pass and the Pokémon Champions Membership.
The Frontier Shop is where you buy held items. Keep in mind that not every held item made it into the game at launch. Mega Stones can be bought for 2,000 VP each. From a ranked match, I was earning about 325 VP, so there is a bit of a grind here. Clothing is as low as 800 VP each, with some items being on the higher end of the cost. Hair & Cosmetics are just for your eyes right now, and each one is 500 VP.
Pre-Battle poses are as low as 500 VP each, with some costing 3,500 VP on the higher end of the spectrum. Throwing styles are as low as 2,000 VP and go as high as 5,000 VP. Victory poses are 1,500 VP, and Battle Songs are 5,000 VP each.
Your Box
Everyone will have space for 30 Pokémon. If you run out of space, there are a few different options available to you. The Pokémon Champions Membership increases your box space to 1,000 Pokémon. It also adds 15 Battle Teams, exclusive missions, and exclusive battle songs. It's $4.99 a month or $49.9 for a year. You could also buy the Pokémon Champions Starter Pack for $6.99, which adds 50 additional storage slots, gives you 30 Teammate Tickets, 50 Training Tickets, and a battle song.
Battle Pass Explained
The Premium Battle Pass will cost $9.99 a month, and because this is bought with normal money, there is no currency to grind to buy the pass. Meaning, you'll always be paying the fee if you want the Pokémon Champions Battle Pass.
Make progress on your Battle Pass and earn rewards by accumulating Season Points (SP) as you battle in Pokémon Champions. SP can be earned by taking part in Ranked Battles, among other things, and will be awarded for both wins and losses depending on how the match went. Your Battle Pass and Season Points will be reset each season, after which you can look forward to new rewards.
You can earn plenty of cool rewards with a Battle Pass, but purchasing a Premium Battle Pass unlocks even more rewards. You’ll find that each season’s Premium Battle Pass will feature exclusive clothing too—perfect for flexing on the competition.
Certain rewards obtained with the Premium Battle Pass, such as Mega Stones, can also be purchased from the Shop screen in exchange for Victory Points (VP).
How recruitment works
You can transfer Pokémon into Pokémon Champions using Pokémon Home. The Pokémon that you transfer in are considered visiting Pokémon. Let me break this cheat sheet down for all of you.
The first thing you'll want to do is open Pokémon Home and click the Pokémon Champions icon. You have to do this to link Pokémon Home and Champions together. From Pokémon Home, you can send Pokémon to Champions. If you want to send Pokémon back to Home, you'll have to do that through the Champions game.
Pokémon that you recruit from Pokémon Champions can't be deposited into Pokémon Home. Your Pokémon will not keep the results of their training when they leave Pokémon Champions.
Instead of catching Pokémon in Pokémon Champions, you recruit them from Roster Ranch. You can recruit Pokémon by using VP to select from a roster of random Pokémon. You’ll be able to meet a new lineup of Pokémon without using VP every 22 hours.
Trial Recruitment
Have a Pokémon join your team for a trial period. You can battle with it right away to test whether it will suit your strategy. You can use Trial Recruitment once a day without using Victory Points (also known as VP).
Adding to your team Permanently
Once you’ve found a Pokémon that’s a good match for you, it can be added to your team permanently. To do so, you’ll need to use Victory Points.
Quick Coupons and Teammate Tickets explained
You can also recruit Pokémon by using tickets instead of VP. Items such as Quick Coupons and Teammate Tickets are available, and these are primarily obtained through missions in-game. By using Quick Coupons, you can shorten how long you must wait to recruit a Pokémon by one hour per coupon. By using Teammate Tickets, you can permanently recruit Pokémon without using VP.
Training Explained
Tailor your team’s skills in the training feature of Pokémon Champions. By using VP, you can hone your Pokémon’s Attack, Defense, and other stats. You can even alter their Abilities and moves. Customize your team to match your battle style, though remember that you can’t train Pokémon during their Trial Recruitment period.
Running short on VP? You can always use a Training Ticket to train your Pokémon instead, reducing the required amount of VP to zero.
How to get Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite, Greninjite, and Floettite
By storing the Chesnaught, Delphox, Greninja, and Eternal Flower Floette you befriended during Pokémon Legends: Z-A in Pokémon HOME and bringing them to Pokémon Champions as visitors, you can obtain their Mega Stones from your mailbox in Pokémon Champions.
Competitions at Launch
Ready to give some of those new Mega-Evolved Pokémon a try? You can find an exciting in-game tournament known as the Warm-up Challenge right as you open Pokémon Champions, where you’ll be able to battle Trainers across the world and earn rewards based on your performance. Entry for this tournament will be open until the tournament concludes on April 12 at 6:59 p.m. PDT. If you finish three or more matches with at least one win or loss, you’ll be able to claim a Gardevoir and 100 Quick Coupons from your in-game mailbox after checking the final ranking results.
If you’re looking to take your battle talents even further or just take a peek at the competition, look no further than the 2026 Indianapolis Regional Championships from May 29 through May 31! This will be the first Video Game Championships event to feature Pokémon Champions and will be a perfect sneak peek for all the action to take place at the 2026 North America International Championships from June 12 through June 14.
Whether you’re looking to reach the top in Ranked Battles or enjoy some easygoing Casual Battles, Pokémon Champions is ready to deliver plenty of fun!
