More details will be “shared in the future”.
We’ve just had an update about the new battle-focused game Pokémon Champions at the World Championships, and apart from the news it will lead as the main title for the VGC next year, along with a Mega Evolution update, we’ve also got details about platforms and pricing.
According to the latest press release, it’s coming to not only the Switch and mobile devices in 2026 but also the Switch 2.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The 2025 Pokémon World Championships just concluded, and as is tradition, the closing ceremonies featured new announcements fun for Pokémon fans of all kinds, presented by Tzunekazu Ishihara, President and CEO of The Pokémon Company. Here’s a round-up of all the important Pokémon announcements revealed at the World Championships you don’t want to miss, including the introduction of a new fan event called PokémonXP, and much more.
The yet-to-be-released Pokémon Champions, coming to mobile and Nintendo Switch in 2026, will be the game used in the official Championship Series video game format in 2026 and beyond. Read more about how Pokémon Champions will be replacing Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in the official format here.
Empoleon will be coming to Pokémon Unite as a playable character on September 19, while Dhelmise and Vaporeon are “coming soon.” No word on what roles the three new Pokémon will be.
Starting on September 4, Groudon will be taking over for Rayquaza at the Theia Sky Ruins in the final two-minute stretch of the game. Defeating Groudon will give you a “massive Attack boost and goal-scoring speed increase.” But if the opposing team knocks you out, they’ll steal the buff from you!
A new season is coming to Pokémon TCG Pocket this fall, and with it, the debut of Mega Pokémon, including Mega Altaria, Mega Gyarados, Mega Blaziken and more Mega Evolution Pokémon ex.
Eternamax Eternatus began appearing in the Anaheim, CA right after the Pokémon World Championships concluded, but that won’t be the only chance for GO players to get their hands on this rare Pokémon. The Pokémon GO: Dark Skies event will take place from Monday, August 18 to Saturday, August 23, with the Max Finale taking place between Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 25. During the unticketed event, which can be joined from anywhere in the world with the free GO Pass: Max Finale, players will be able to catch every Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon that has appeared so far, plus Eternatus.
We got a sneak peek of some new cards featuring Mega Evolution Pokémon and cool full-art cards during the closing ceremonies, including for Mega Charizard X ex, Mega Gardevoir ex, and Mega Lucario ex. Though not a “mega” itself, Oricorio ex was also revealed, which has a unique Ability called Excited Turb: As often as you like during your turn, if you have any Fire-type Mega Evolution Pokémon ex in play, you may use this Ability. Attach a Basic Fire-type Energy card from your hand to one of your benched Fire-type Pokémon.”
We also got a look at a new, adorable Mega Dragonite ex card, but not the full-art version just yet! Its Ability Sky Transport will allow you to switch your Active Pokémon with one of your Benched Pokémon.
The latest trailer shown durin the Pokémon World Championship closing ceremonies featured a breakdown of Z-A Battle Club’s four-player Ranked Battles. We saw in the trailer four trainers battling at once, being able to take down multiple Pokémon at once with powerful, well-timed AOE attacks–like Draco Meteor. The goal is to get the most knockouts you can before the three-minute timer is up, and don’t worry, you can rejoin after one of your Pokémon faints! These real-time Link Battles! can be played locally or online against other players.
We already knew the 2026 Pokémon World Championships were coming to San Francisco, but so is PokémonXP, a new “event that celebrates all things Pokémon” with “a range of Pokémon-centric festivities.” It will take place August 28 to August 30, 2026, overlapping with the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco. Passes will go on sale September 17, 2025 and start at $120 USD for a multi-day pass, which includes two Pokémon Trading Card Game booster packs, a PokémonXP collectible pin, and a lanyard.
There are two different multi-day passes. The regular one, and multi-day + arena pass, which includes normal access to the PokémonXP event, plus access to the arena on Championship Sunday.
This year, The Pokémon World Championships hosted Championship Sunday in an arena, and in 2026, they’re upscaling it even more, bringing Championship Sunday to the massive Chase Center, which has a seating capacity of 18,064 (at least, for basketball games.) Compare that to the Anaheim Convention Center Arena, with a capacity of 7,500. Which, I heard, was filled to capacity this year!
IGN was at the Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim this year, where we watched 2025 Pokemon World VGC Champion Kevin Han make history, and played a first-ever demo of Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor on the guides team at IGN and this year is the second time she’s covered the Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, CA. Catch her on socials @ShinyCaseyD.
Taking place in “downtown San Francisco”.
The major mystery reveal at this year’s World Championships event for Pokémon was the announcement of Pokémon XP.
This news was revealed alongside the confirmation of an “epic arena experience” for Championship Sunday next year at the Chase Center, San Francisco between 28th – 30th August, 2026, with passes going on sale on 17th September 2025.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
In a Pokémon World Championship Series first, the 2026 and future formats will be using yet-to-be-released Pokémon Champions as the game for VGC competitors instead of a “mainline” game. To switch up the format even more next year, Pokémon Champions will include the Mega Evolution mechanic in the official format.
Usually, players compete in fierce Pokémon battles throughout the year for a spot at the Pokémon World Championships using the most recent “core,” or “mainline” Pokémon game, like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, or Pokémon Sword and Shield before that.
Pokémon Champions isn’t a self-contained narrative game, but rather a new, multiplayer battle-focused Pokémon game coming to both mobile and Nintendo Switch. It features a simplified training system, which should make competitive battling more accessible than ever. It will also have compatibility with Pokémon Home, allowing trainers to transfer legacy Pokémon from other games. We’re unsure which Pokémon from what games will be legal to use in next year’s format.
Pokémon Champions features “core-style battles” with gimmicks from all eras of Pokémon, including Mega Evolution, originally from Pokémon X and Y, and Terastalization, from the recent Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. So far, we know that Mega Evolution will return in Ranked Battles in this year’s official format. Mega Dragonite, recently revealed in a Pokémon Legends: Z-A Trailer, will also be coming to Pokémon Champions.
Pokémon Champions is set to be released in 2026 and is being developed by Game Freak in collaboration with The Pokémon Works. Players usually begin competing for Championship Points soon after the previous year’s World Championships, so we’ve yet to see how the release date will affect tournaments for this year’s format.
This is a year of many firsts for the Pokemon World Championships. VGC Champion Kevin Han made history by taking the championship title in the Junior and then Senior divisions in back-to-back years, and it’s the first time Championship Sunday was held in an arena. Next year, the 2026 Pokemon World Championships’ Championship Sunday will be held at the Chase Arena in San Francisco.
Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor on the guides team at IGN and this year is the second time she’s covered the Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, CA. Catch her on socials @ShinyCaseyD.
Pokémon World Championships competitor Kevin Han just won the 2025 Video Game Seniors World Champion title in Anaheim, CA, making him the first to win the VGC Pokémon World Championships in both the Junior and Senior age divisions. To make this achievement even more impressive, Han took these titles back-to-back, and this year, with a completely undefeated record.
“I have no words to describe it. It’s an unreal feeling, I still can’t believe it,” Han said after being asked about his unprecedented achievement.
Han, a 12-year-old from Pennsylvania, US, faced Sian Lee from South Korea in the Senior division finals. Last year, Han was defeated only twice during his climb to the Junior Championship title, and one of those defeats was at the hands of Lee, making this finals match-up especially nerve-racking.
Before the match, Han’s brother, Chris Han, was asked about how Kevin Han was feeling.
“I can tell you one thing, he’s super nervous… but Kevin’s got this,” Chris Han said. “I don’t have any words of advice, just trust your gut Kevin–you know exactly what to do.”
Chris Han’s faith in his brother rang true, as Kevin Han won 2-0.
“I think after turn one of each game, where I got my positioning up, I think I felt a lot better,” Kevin Han said. “Sometimes if you’re too nervous it can hurt you, but, in my opinion, having at least a little bit of nerves can help you a lot.”
Kevin Han secured his victory in the second match with a Double K.O. with his Ice Rider Calyrex’s Glacial Lance, super effective on Lee’s Rillaboom and just powerful enough to finish off the previously-damaged Zamazenta.
Ray Rizzo is the only previous Pokémon competitor to have won the VGC Championship in two divisions: the Senior division in 2010, then the Master division in 2011. This makes Kevin Han the first-ever contender with the ability to take the World Championship title in all three divisions: Juniors, Seniors, and Masters. We’ll have to wait three years before he ages into the Masters division, where he just might make history yet again.
Kevin Han’s win isn’t the only historical first at this year’s Pokémon World Championships. This is also the first ever time Championship Sunday was held in a dedicated arena rather than on the stage on the convention center floor.
Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor on the guides team at IGN and this year is the second time she’s covered the Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, CA. Catch her on socials @ShinyCaseyD.
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Sunday, August 17, below, so don’t miss out on these limited-time offers.
Lies of P has continued to sit atop many favorite game lists over the last few years. A sequel is in development, with a major tease left for players at the end of the base game. The recently released Lies of P: Overture prequel gave yet another reason to re-enter this world, and for new players, there’s never been a better time to jump in.
The First Berserker: Khazan is available on sale this weekend at Amazon for $49.99. That’s a discount of $10, and while small, is still solid if you haven’t yet picked up the game. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “The First Beserker: Khazan is a brutal but impressive soulslike that makes pushing through its devastating bosses worth the effort.”
A brand-new Attack on Titan Steelbook is up for pre-order, and this is one you won’t want to miss. This Steelbook contains Part 1 and Part 2 of Attack on Titan Final Season, in addition to the two Attack on Titan Final Season The Final Chapters specials. The front of the Steelbook features the Final Season Part 1 key art, while the back features Part 2’s key art. If you haven’t picked up any of the Final Season on Blu-ray just yet, this is the ultimate bundle, especially considering the price.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army launched in mid June, and you can save $10 off a Nintendo Switch copy for the first time this weekend at Amazon. This action RPG is a remaster of the 2006 PS2 game, and there are many improvements and new features to discover. For one, UI, visuals, and voice acting have all been tweaked to refine the experience, but you can also discover more than 120 different demons.
This weekend, you can save 50% off the Final Fantasy VII Remake: Material Ultimania Plus, which was delayed consistently over the last few years but finally released last November. This book includes brand-new insights to Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, including concept art and design works for Episode INTERmission. If you’re a fan of FFVII, books like these are always an excellent add to your collection.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skayer 3 + 4 was a great blast from the past this Summer, and you can now save 20% off the PS5 Collector’s Edition at Amazon. This edition packs in the full game on a physical disc, all digital deluxe content, which includes the Doom Slayer Skater, and a limited edition full-size Birdhouse Wings Design skateboard deck. Time to hit the park.
Doom: The Dark Ages is on a major sale for the first time, and you can save $25 off a PlayStation 5 copy at Best Buy this weekend! This game takes the Doom Slayer back to the medieval ages, acting as a prequel to both Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal. The latest update was just released last week as well, so really, there has never been a better time to hop in.
Studio Ghibli is one of the most beloved names in the anime space, with each film offering a heartfelt message. Grave of the Fireflies is set near the end of World War II in Japan, following the young Seita and his sister. Directed by Isao Takahata, this is an excellent movie to add to your collection.
Persona 5 Royal is still one of the most popular RPGs to this day, but most deals on the game are often for consoles. However, this weekend, you can score a PC copy of the game for $19.91 at Amazon. This physical edition contains three art cards and a Steam code you can redeem for a copy of the game.
A SIWIQU by any other name.
Nintendo’s own dock is a non-nonsense device that just works. You slide your console in, crack the Joy-Con off, and boom, you’re off to the races. Given the larger size of Switch 2, though, its dock is a substantial slab of black plastic and various third-party firms have stepped in with offerings that are a little more portable.
Antank is one such company, and the S3 MAX TV Dock Station for Nintendo Switch 2 — also known as the SIWIQU Dock Station in some parts — is certainly smaller than the dock that comes with the console. Weighing in at 109 grams (compared to 383 grams), you’ll barely notice you’re carrying it in your satchel, backpack, or anywhere else you care to secrete your hardware.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week – our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! That’s two weeks in a row now, which I’ve decided is enough for me to not have to caveat or lampshade the word ‘regular’, except obviously in this specific instance. We are back 4eva, in the Blakean Infinite sense, which is my favourite reference for making my fecklessness seem profound.
Pre-orders are now live.
Mattel has already released a whole bunch of Mario Kart vehicles and next up is a “special edition” Pauline release, which was originally revealed at San Diego Comic-Con this year.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Super duper.
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl!
Last week, we looked at WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ for the GBA – a true classic and one of our favourites here at NL Towers. North America and Europe joined forced against Japan and, uh… Oh, poor Japan. The western design won with a whopping 91% of the vote! We quite like the Japanese design, there’s definitely something to it. Though if you said it was boring, we wouldn’t necessarily disagree. Hm.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
