Pokémon Champions launches on April 8, 2026, as a free-to-play title for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, with an optional paid starter pack that expands storage, features a unique battle song, and provides extra in-game currency for recruiting battles.

The game debuts on Nintendo Switch with a mobile release planned for later in the year, and a free graphical update will boost Switch 2 visuals at launch.

Pokémon Home remains central to teambuilding, storing, and transferring Pokémon across titles, though new players without Home face daily random Pokémon that vanish after a week, complicating early team-building.

A new trailer explains connectivity with other Pokémon games and ecosystems, underscoring cross-title integration.

At launch, Mega Evolutions from Legends: Z-A, including Mega Meganium and Mega Feraligatr, return with new abilities that could reshape high-level play and potentially expand into other Mega Pokémon in the meta.

The starter pack adds extra Pokémon storage, a unique battle song, and in-game currency to recruit Pokemon for battles.

Pokémon Legends Z-A will gain official Pokémon Home compatibility in the coming weeks, enabling transfers from the new title to other games.

Champions aims to be the new flagship platform for competitive play, making strategic selection of transferred Pokémon crucial for tournament-ready teams.

Home is positioned as a tool to preserve strong IVs and shinies, with expectations that it will help players assemble competitive teams ahead of Champions.

Players can recruit a random pool of Pokémon in battles and can transfer their own Pokémon from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet and Pokémon Go through the Pokémon Home app.

Despite Home’s limitations, players can earn currency by winning online battles to unlock more Pokémon and possibly keep them permanently, lowering participation barriers.

Pokémon Home serves as a Switch/Nintendo platform app for cross-game transfers, offering a free tier for up to 30 Pokémon and a paid tier for up to 6,000 Pokémon at $2.99 per month.