Fans are already giving Pokémon Champions a rough verdict, and the missing battle rules are doing most of the damage

Pokémon Champions is drawing a cold response from fans after its launch, with criticism focused on its visual presentation and the battle restrictions baked into a game built for competitive play.

The free-to-play title is meant to act as a PvP battle hub, letting players bring over Pokémon trained in earlier games or recruit new ones through an in-game gacha-style system. It is also on track to become the game used for official Video Game Championships tournaments, including the World Championships, so expectations around its battle options were already high.

That reaction has turned sour fast. Joe Merrick, who runs the Pokémon news site Serebii, posted on X that going from Pokopia to Pokémon Champions was “whiplash”.

Going from the perfection of Pokopia to this…whiplash

— Joe Merrick (@JoeMerrick) April 8, 2026

One of the biggest complaints is the item list. Merrick’s own records at Serebii’s Pokémon Champions item page show just 30 usable items outside of Mega Stones and Berries at the moment, with familiar competitive staples such as Life Orb, Choice Band, Choice Specs, and Assault Vest absent. In a follow-up post on X, Merrick said the lack of item options would hurt the game in the short term and could also hurt VGC once the shift happens next month, adding, “What on earth were they thinking?” That message appeared at this X post.

I've got to say, the lack of item options is going to hurt this game in the short term and I think very much damage VGC in general when VGC shifts over next month

What on earth were they thinking?

— Joe Merrick (@JoeMerrick) April 8, 2026

The current roster is also small compared with the series as a whole. Serebii’s Pokémon Champions Pokédex listing currently shows 185 Pokémon available, which is far below the franchise total of more than 1,000 creatures.

That gap is not entirely unexpected. Producer Masaaki Hoshino previously said that the team wanted to include as many Pokémon as possible, but also planned to start with a limited selection and expand it over time so the game would not become too complicated. Even so, the number that players saw at launch still caught many off guard.

Another sore point is the lack of 6v6 single battles. Pokémon content creator RaidAway+ wrote on X that the absence of 6v6 singles in Pokémon Champions made them sad, and pokeaimMD posted that it was hard to advertise the game as one where players can “play the way you want to” while blocking 6v6 private lobbies. Those reactions appeared at RaidAway+’s post and pokeaimMD’s post.

No 6v6 single battles in Pokemon Champions makes me so sad 😞

— Rich (@RaidAway) April 8, 2026

How can you advertise this game as play the way you want to and not let me do 6v6 private lobbies. cmon pokemon

— Tempo | Pokeaim (@JoeyPokeaim) April 8, 2026

Players are also unhappy with how the game looks and performs, including on Switch 2. One post on X complained about the visual quality and asked why it was running at 30 fps, while another said the game being at 30 fps in 2026 was hard to accept on Switch 2.

I’m playing Pokemon Champions

Why the fuck does it look like this

Why is it running at 30 fps

— Saltydkdan (@saltydkdan) April 8, 2026

WHY IS CHAMPIONS IN 30 FPS ARE WE SERIOUS BRO I HAVE A SWITCH 2 ITS 2026 HELLO??? ILCA???? GAME FREAK???? FKING HELLO??????????

— aria 🪸 (@ariadotwav) April 8, 2026

Even with the rough reaction, Pokémon Champions is still a live service game, so the setup leaves room for changes if the team responds to feedback. Hoshino has also said the plan is to keep Pokémon Champions going far into the future, basically forever, as long as the series continues. For now, though, the launch has given fans plenty to complain about.

If you’ve got thoughts on Pokémon Champions so far, share them in the comments below. You can also follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram.

Pokémon Champions

Developed by The Pokémon Works

Get ready to experience everything you love about Pokémon battles all in one place—in Pokémon Champions. This new, battle-focused game will feature familiar mechanics such as Pokémon types, Abilities, and moves, creating an environment conducive to rich and varied strategies for new and experienced Trainers alike. It’s not just familiar mechanics—you’ll be able to bring in classic Pokémon from Pokémon HOME, too! Look forward to cross-platform battles alongside your favorite Pokémon on Nintendo Switch and mobile, with a variety of different modes available for your desired experience.

• Genre: Fighting, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch
• Modes: Single player, Multiplayer
• Release: 2026-04-08
• Publisher: The Pokémon Company, Nintendo
• Age Rating: PEGI 7 / ESRB E

Nintendo eShop Official Site