The Pokémon Company has officially revealed updates for Pokémon Champions, coming in 2026, and launched a brand-new title, Pokémon Friends, now available on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.
Pokémon Champions: Strategic Battles Across Platforms
Set to release in 2026, Pokémon Champions brings classic Pokémon battles to both Nintendo Switch and mobile devices. It keeps all the familiar elements like type matchups, Abilities, and moves, so fans can dive right in with the strategies they already know. What makes this game stand out is the cross-platform play and its connection with Pokémon HOME, which lets Trainers bring in their favorite Pokémon from past games and even Pokémon GO.
The heart of the game is all about recruiting and training Pokémon. You can try out Pokémon with Trial Recruitment, available once a day for free, or go for Permanent Recruitment by spending Victory Points (VP). VP is the main currency used to build and power up your team. You can train your Pokémon to improve stats like Attack and Defense and even swap out Abilities and moves to fine-tune your battle style.
There are three ways to battle: Ranked, Casual, and Private. Each mode is available in both Single and Double formats. Ranked lets you compete globally and climb the ladder, Casual is a relaxed way to test your team, and Private is great for battling with friends and family. VP mostly comes from Ranked Battles, and since it can’t be bought directly, the focus stays on playing and improving.
A trailer is now live on the official Pokémon YouTube channel:
Pokémon Friends: Think with Pokémon
Launched on July 22, 2025, Pokémon Friends is a brain teaser game that blends puzzle-solving with the joy of Pokémon. It features over 1,200 puzzles designed to challenge players’ critical thinking skills, inspired by Wonderfy Inc.’s educational app, Think!Think!. Backed by research and real-world trials, the puzzles are proven to boost math scores, IQ, and noncognitive skills like motivation and confidence—making it both fun and mentally stimulating.
In Pokémon Friends, solving puzzles earns players yarn that they can use to create plush Pokémon via the Plush-O-Matic. These plush toys can then be used to decorate customizable rooms with furniture, wallpapers, and layout options. Trainers can collect up to 150 plush Pokémon by unlocking paid DLC, and each new plush is recorded in a Catalog.
Beyond customization, the game also features Friend Quests, where town residents ask for specific plush Pokémon. Fulfilling these requests helps expand social connections in Think Town, the game’s cozy setting.
The game also includes family-friendly features like parental controls to limit daily playtime and support for up to five save files—perfect for households with multiple players. The Nintendo Switch version includes the Basic Pack DLC.
Official trailers and gameplay previews can be found here:
