Game Freak Unveils Leaked Pokémon Champions Multiplayer Game

After months of anticipation fueled by rumors and leaks, the gaming community has been treated to the first official reveal of Pokémon Champions, a groundbreaking multiplayer battle-centric Pokémon game. This exciting new title is the result of a collaboration between Game Freak and The Pokémon Works, a recently established joint venture between The Pokémon Company and ILCA, the developers behind Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Pokémon Champions is designed to immerse players in the heart of Pokémon battles, featuring the series' signature "core-style battles" and enabling online competitions. The trailer showcased thrilling elements such as Mega Evolution and Terastalization, promising a comprehensive experience that spans across various types and eras of Pokémon battles.

A standout feature of Pokémon Champions is its integration with Pokémon Home, which will allow players to transfer Pokémon from other games into this new battle arena. This connectivity offers fans a chance to breathe new life into their beloved Pokémon from past generations, providing a fresh purpose for the creatures stored in their digital collections.

Currently in development for both Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms, Pokémon Champions has not yet received a release date. However, it's confirmed to support Latin American Spanish at launch, alongside other languages previously featured in Pokémon games.

Pokémon Champions appears to be the same project initially leaked under the name Pokémon Synapse during the infamous "Freak Leak" last year. That leak exposed a wealth of internal Game Freak information, including unreleased games and early concepts. At the time, Pokémon Synapse was described as a multiplayer game developed by Game Freak and ILCA, with some early comparisons to Splatoon, though those now seem less accurate.

For a comprehensive look at all the announcements from today's Pokémon Presents, be sure to check out our full coverage [ttpp].