After months of speculation and leaks, fans of the Pokémon franchise have been treated to the first official reveal of Pokémon Champions, a new multiplayer battle-centric game. This exciting project is the result of a collaboration between Game Freak and The Pokémon Works, a recent joint venture involving The Pokémon Company and ILCA, the developers behind Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Pokémon Champions is designed to be a haven for battle enthusiasts, featuring the series' signature "core-style battles" and enabling players to engage in online competitions. The game's trailer showcased iconic mechanics such as Mega Evolution and Terastalization, hinting that it will encompass a wide range of Pokémon battle types and eras.
In addition to its battle focus, Pokémon Champions will integrate with Pokémon Home. This connectivity allows players to transfer Pokémon from their existing collections across various games, providing a new purpose for the many Pokémon that have been stored away in boxes from past generations.
Currently in development for both Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms, Pokémon Champions does not yet have a release date. However, it promises to be accessible in multiple languages, including Latin American Spanish, at launch.
Pokémon Champions appears to be the finalized version of what was previously known as Pokémon Synapse, which was part of the infamous "Freak Leak" last year. This leak exposed a wealth of internal Game Freak information, including details on unreleased games and early Pokémon designs. Initially, Pokémon Synapse was described as a multiplayer project co-developed by Game Freak and ILCA, with some comparisons drawn to Splatoon, although these seem to have been somewhat off the mark.
For those interested in exploring more from today's Pokémon Presents, you can find all the details right here.
