Pokémon Champions gets a fast bug-fix response after a rough launch

Pokémon Champions is already heading into maintenance just one day after release, with The Pokémon Company lining up a fix pass for April 10 after players ran into several bugs during the game’s launch week.

The most urgent problem was a transfer issue that left some Pokémon stuck between Pokémon HOME and Pokémon Champions. That complaint spread quickly on social media, including a post from Justin Carris on April 8, 2026, who described Pokémon being trapped after transfer attempts. A second post from XIF on April 8, 2026, also highlighted the issue around the game’s early problems.

PSA:

There is a massive bug with transferring pokemon between Pokemon HOME & Champions

1. Error displays when attempting to send HOME mons to Champs
2. Those pokemon can no longer be moved to Champs, traded in HOME or moved back to SV

They are basically trapped in limbo

— Justin Carris (@AzazeL_the_God) April 8, 2026

I feel y’all need context here. DaWoblefet being stumped about a Pokemon interaction is like PracticalTAS being stumped about a Melee interaction.

TOP SCIENTISTS ARE AT A LOSS https://t.co/3JzIdztjjX

— XIF (@TheXIF) April 8, 2026

The maintenance is scheduled for April 10, 8:00 to 10:00 JST, which converts to 19:00 to 21:00 EDT. Along with the HOME fix, The Pokémon Company said it would check for other unlisted issues during the same window.

Patch Notes

The biggest fixes focus on move behavior, battle flow, and a few data errors that surfaced right after launch. Some of the issues are cosmetic, but others can interrupt menu use or change how Pokémon behave in battle, so this pass should clean up a lot of early friction for players.

• Incorrect description of “Leech Seed” displayed in-game
  • Incorrect: Takes damage equal to 1/16 of maximum HP
  • Correct: Takes damage equal to 1/8 of maximum HP
  • Damage calculation was still correct during battle
• Under certain conditions, when two Pokémon Mega Evolve simultaneously, the order may be unintended/random.
• When viewing move details during battle, if you hover the cursor over “Mega Evolution” and press the B button, you cannot select a move
  • If this phenomenon occurs, you can avoid the inability to select the move by opening and closing the surrender window with the “-” button
• The gender of some Pokémon in the tutorial is incorrect
• The gender of some Pokémon in the released coordinated teams is incorrect
• When in Encore state, the ability “Lightning Rod” may not activate correctly

Pokémon Champions has had a rough start, but this maintenance should address the most immediate problems players have been reporting. If you’ve spent time with the game already, tell us what you think in the comments, and 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