Pokemon Champions launches April 8 on switch

Pokémon Champions is coming very soon, so no need to wait in long lines at PAX East if you’re in Boston.

The new game, designed mainly for competitive battles, will launch on Nintendo Switch on April 8. A mobile version is also planned for later this year, but its release date hasn’t been announced yet.

The game will be free to play, but there will also be a paid starter pack. This pack gives players extra storage, special battle music, and items to help recruit and train Pokémon. However, many players may not need it since they can bring their Pokémon from other games using the Pokemon Home app.

In Pokémon Champions, training Pokémon is easier than in traditional games. You can change moves, stats, and other features using points earned from online matches, instead of searching for items like in older RPGs.

It’s still unclear how popular the game will be among competitive players, but it could encourage more casual players to try ranked battles. Fans are also excited to see how Mega Evolutions from upcoming games will perform in this new competitive format.