Pokemon Champions is live, and the early verdict from the competitive community is not kind. The free-to-play PvP battler as a game that mirrors core series mechanics including types, abilities, and moves, launched with a roster of just 185 Pokemon, a heavily trimmed item list, and no 6v6 single battle option.
For context, the series now has over 1,000 Pokemon total. Shipping with fewer than 200 available is the kind of gap that hits competitive players hard, especially those who spent years building teams around specific pocket monsters that simply aren't in the game yet.
The item situation is the sharpest pain point
According to records maintained by Joe Merrick, owner of the long-running Pokemon news site Serebii, Champions currently has just 30 items outside of Mega Stones and Berries. That list is missing some of the most foundational pieces of competitive play: the Life Orb, Choice Band, Choice Specs, and Assault Vest are all absent at launch.
These aren't niche picks. They're the backbone of team-building for anyone who has played VGC or Smogon formats seriously. Merrick put it bluntly on social media: “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?”
Here's the thing: Champions is set to replace Scarlet and Violet as the official platform for Video Game Championships (VGC) tournaments, including the World Championships. That transition is reportedly happening next month. Launching a game that will host the highest level of official competitive play without staple items is, to put it gently, a rough call.
No 6v6, and players are feeling it
The missing item pool is compounded by the absence of 6v6 single battles. Pokemon content creator RaidAway+ called it out directly: "No 6v6 single battles in Pokemon Champions makes me so sad." Competitive player pokeaimMD went further, questioning the game's own marketing: "How can you advertise this game as play the way you want to and not let me do 6v6 private lobbies."
VGC has historically used double battles, so the format gap stings a different segment of the fanbase, specifically the singles community that has supported the series for decades. The way Champions was positioned suggested flexibility in how players could engage. The reality at launch tells a different story.
danger
Champions is scheduled to become the official VGC tournament platform next month. The current item and roster limitations will directly affect competitive play at that level if updates don't arrive before the switch.
Performance complaints on top of content gaps
Visual and technical feedback has added another layer of frustration. Multiple players reported that Champions runs at 30fps on Switch 2, which has prompted some sharp reactions online. "WHY IS CHAMPIONS IN 30 FPS ARE WE SERIOUS BRO I HAVE A SWITCH 2 ITS 2026 HELLO?" reads one widely circulated post. Another simply asked: "Why the fuck does it look like this. Why is it running at 30 fps."
The framing that stings most came from Merrick, who summarized the whiplash of moving from Pokemon Pokopia, which recently received widespread acclaim, to this: "Going from the perfection of Pokopia to this...whiplash."
Pokemon Champions PvP battles
What the developer has said about the future
Producer Masaaki Hoshino previously stated that the plan was always to launch with a limited Pokemon selection that would expand over time, specifically to avoid overwhelming new players as the roster grows. The goal, as Hoshino described it, is to "keep Pokemon Champions going far into the future, basically forever, as long as the Pokemon series is continuing."
That's a reasonable long-term vision. The problem is that competitive players are being asked to accept a stripped-down experience right now, at the exact moment the game is supposed to become the home of official tournament play. A live service model means updates can and should address these gaps, but the window for first impressions has already closed.
For the latest on what's been added and changed as Champions evolves, keep an eye on gaming news and guides on our site as the VGC transition approaches. Make sure to check out more:
