Pokémon Presents - Pokémon Day 2025 - Pokemon ZA Info & Pokemon Champions Announced

[CodeFour]

I actually hope that champions does have a battle pass haha with avatar upgrades and pokemon. Not directly pay to win with being able to bring in pokemon from home. Seasons adding new pokemon since not all come out immediately.

The most fun part of showdown is after DLCs, when the meta is forced to change dramatically. Upgrades to champions would keep things fresh regularly, I hope

 

[Bakugames]

So the Arceus starters

There was a Mon based on a yokai, on a samurai and on an archer. Thematically fitting to a traditionally japanese setting

Now we have a crocodile, a dinosaur and a random pig as starters in a french region?

There's already Snivey and Piplup who are directly inspired from France and the most important french person in history. Why weren't they chosen?

People keep saying that pokemon fans interpret weird patterns but that's on gf for making obvious sense sometimes and then just going bananas other times

they werent chosen bc the starters werent picked for their relevance with france, they were picked bc they want johto nostalgia and had to replace cyndaquil with somrthing else since it already was used

 

[javimgol]

Very happy with my girl Chikorita getting some love.
Mega Meganium Grass Fairy as a tank looks fun for competitive.

 

[Mad Ram]

I said it earlier. I'll say it again.

You see it or you don't. I'll notice frame drops that 95% of people wouldn't and it bothers the shit out of me. This happens with literally every Switch release.

It's not gaslighting. It's some of us are just good at this.

I've seen the complaint enough that it's not just the top %5. Framerates are objective things after all. Where the fuck is it? The specific instances.

Ok, as writing this, I saw someone say one of the trailers stuttered in the first five seconds but couldn't find it in either of the two on the pokemon youtube channel, but then the linked to the trailer in question, and there was noticeable stuttering at the beginning where it said, but it was also the IGN version rather than the one from Pokemon itself which doesn't have the same issues. Is that it? Is it just from what version of the trailer people are looking at? If not, I am convinced people are choosing to notice something that isn't there.

 

[TheMantyke]

I love how it’s not set in the past, but the near future. We’re seriously getting a sequel set after Pokemon X&Y named Pokemon Z. What an incredible meta gag.

 

[Jeffers]

I don't see why Champions would have its own subscription at all

Because they can. I am sure most VGC players would pay it.

Given that this new app more directly competes with Pokémon Showdown, I could see them having more incentive to shut it down. If they charge a subscription fee for it, they could even point to lost revenue more tangibly in a potential lawsuit.

 

[Perriechu]

champions looks interesting- could this be a replacement platform for VGC eventually and the Games are focused into more single-player experiences? since they're taking more time in between games (seemingly) VGC does need something to help keep it fresh. There won't be anything new related to VGC until Nov 2026 and that's just with Gen X. Champions would allow them to rotate rosters more frequently and implement more into it without being strictly tied to the core games.

as for Legends, I'm disappointed there's no release date (for my own personal reasons, I don't think it'll be delayed at all) and personally, I don't care about the FPS "issues" people are spotting in the trailer (There's like some slight issues, but nothing that needs to be harped on about again and again!!)

I imagine it'll run better on the Switch 2 anyway.

I'm still curious about how they're going to do the adventure element of the games. I'm irked about the starters, why didn't they just have the 3 starters as the Johto starters and use something else in PLA? (Johto retconning continues!) but I'm happy Chikorita and Totodile get to shine.

 

[Worldie]

not getting excited about Pokemon Champions until they actually state you can use every pokemon on it, fool me with your DLC onece, shame on you Gamefreak, fool me twice with your promises of an universal battling app, shame on me

While they didn't *specifically* say it'll have all pokemon, I would point that the statement clearly states that "At launch not all pokemon will be available".

Now, whenever this actually implies that *all* will become available, I don't know.
But if their intention was that they would never have all the pokemon become available, there'd have been no reason to include the "At the time of release" part.

It's very likely that they plan to get the entire bunch of SV pokemon available at launch, and then add more as more releases come out. Since they're developing for mobile as well, I assume this is a similar issue to SwSh where they need time to have the models and animations functional for new platforms.
HOWEVER since this is a Mobile release specifically, it's likely intended to last for more than "a single generation", so assuming that their final plan is to have the entire dex available is actually reasonable as updates are actually going to happen for years rather than only for a generation lifespan.

(And if their plan, as people suppose, is to have Champions actually replace the mainline games as the "Competitive platform" where they want to play VGC events, well even more of a reason to slowly add everything as new games release)

 

[woodgoldtwo]

I don't think the starters will be getting megas but rather just alternate forms so typhlosion isn't left behind, I saw someone else mention in this thread that the kalos starters will probably be the ones to get megas and you'll obtain them in a way mirroring the kanto starters from X/Y which I think is more likely to happen

 

[Volt-Ikazuchi]

As shown with the Chikorita vs Flaaffy clip, you can faint pokemon and then catch them after and get EXP both times, that's something else people seem to have been asking for a while.

False Swipe stocks plummet :totodiLUL:

I always thought that was a bad idea. It's super easy to barrel through a mon instead of holding it at bay statused and with low HP.
Depending if you only get one chance of catching it if it's KO'd, I could see this working tho.

Also AOE moves like Bulldoze can thankfully hit multiple mons unlike Arceus.

B L E S S E D

Real question is why we can use Earthquake in the city and not raze the entire fucking place
/s

Lumiose is built different



Champions got me unreasonably hype. With that said, this needs to be an actual game instead of 3D Showdown.

And by that, I mean Offline Content.

It's going to be near impossible to literally just sell Showdown at Home (Mons not included) unless they actually put in some content. It'd flop harder than even PBR.

So basically, what I'm saying is that we need this to have that Stadium content package. Cups, Gym Leader Castle, and all that great stuff.
Ironically, it'd be the perfect avenue for the grand return of the PWT and Battle Frontier.

The possibilities are endless, and more importantly, realistic. This is SO HYPE.

 

[Yung Dramps]

I don't think we can really read into what thematic relevance, if any the Z-A starter trio will have to Kalos until we see the inevitable new trinkets their final stages will be getting whether they be Megas, regional forms or something else entirely. Cyndaquil/Oshawott/Rowlet was I guess vagely Japanese but it wasn't clear until we actually saw the new designs attached to them

 

[Worldie]

It's going to be near impossible to literally just sell Showdown at Home (Mons not included) unless they actually put in some content. It'd flop harder than even PBR.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

You overestimate how many people actually play or are willing to deal with showdown over just using actual 3d graphics on a official platform.

EXPECIALLY given the... pretty bad reputation showdown has as far as playerbase and elitism.

 

[Bakugames]

It's going to be near impossible to literally just sell Showdown at Home (Mons not included) unless they actually put in some content. It'd flop harder than even PBR.

see maybe this is a crazy take, but what if champions is expected to not flop because its free? maybe itll have some season pass to make money but it seems to me that itll be a free service. the main issue of pbr is that you had to pay for a battle simulator

 

[Volt-Ikazuchi]

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

You overestimate how many people actually play or are willing to deal with showdown over just using actual 3d graphics on a official platform.

EXPECIALLY given the... pretty bad reputation showdown has as far as playerbase and elitism.

If it was literally 3D Showdown, I'd believe it.

We're talking about a Phone PBR linked to Home scenario tho.

It's a similar issue to fighting games, not a lot of people are willing to pay full price for the experience of getting ass-blasted in Ranked.

They HAVE to get more than just that popping, even on a low budget.

see maybe this is a crazy take, but what if champions is expected to not flop because its free? maybe itll have some season pass to make money but it seems to me that itll be a free service. the main issue of pbr is that you had to pay for a battle simulator

If it's free... we're talking something entirely different. I dunno if they'd drop it for free on the Switches tho

 

[Ehmcee]

Champions will not flop harder than PBR, it being on mobile alone expands the possible userbase to at least 10x what it previously could have been on switch alone.

It being free is a very real possibility given that it will be on mobile, if it will cost money there's no way it'll be more than like, 10$ max.

 

[ausma]

So the Arceus starters

There was a Mon based on a yokai, on a samurai and on an archer. Thematically fitting to a traditionally japanese setting

Now we have a crocodile, a dinosaur and a random pig as starters in a french region?

There's already Snivey and Piplup who are directly inspired from France and the most important french person in history. Why weren't they chosen?

People keep saying that pokemon fans interpret weird patterns but that's on gf for making obvious sense sometimes and then just going bananas other times

I personally theorize these Pokemon were chosen for one of two reasons:
1: parity with the PLA starters
2: to represent a theme adjacent to the game

I think it's a blend of both; regarding the theme, these Pokemon do a solid job at fitting the theme of reconstruction, which is the core theme of PLZA. My thought is that Totodile represents demolition, Chikorita represents rebuilding/growth, and Tepig represents trailblazing/paving. This is supported also by their Pokedex entries. Tepig is described in the Pokedex as being faster than it looks and Pignite is described to increase its speed over time when fired up. Chikorita/Bayleef/Meganium emit pleasant/pacifying/healing aromas. Totodile is described to bite everything, Croconaw is relentless in biting, and Feraligatr is described to savagely rip things to shreds.

 

[chimp]

There were two options for making ZA seem more interesting, being that it takes place all in Lumiose:
1) Set it in past when the city is just starting to become a major hub of commerce
2) Set it in the far future

And instead they do the most boring option which is just Lumiose City from X/Y but again. This city has shown so far does not look like a fun to explore environment, even with the Wild Zones. Urban cities provide so many different types of potential locals, it is disappointing to not see any of them explored at all.

I know it's just the first trailer, but yeah. I'm only holding out hope for this game because of the new battling style, even if it look a bit jank.

 

[ant4456]

If it was literally 3D Showdown, I'd believe it.

We're talking about a Phone PBR linked to Home scenario tho.

It's a similar issue to fighting games, not a lot of people are willing to pay full price for the experience of getting ass-blasted in Ranked.

They HAVE to get more than just that popping, even on a low budget.


If it's free... we're talking something entirely different. I dunno if they'd drop it for free on the Switches tho

champions monetization is that if you dont buy the games you dont get all the pokemon lol

also probably some sort of cosmetics thing, on the site they showed there is player protags

 

[FloopThePig]

I get why some people are underwhelmed by the trailer but as someone who thinks that the Pokémon universe has way more possibilities than the usual formula, I am still very excited for this game. I don't really care that it's set in modern Kalos or that these are the starters or if there are no new megas. My biggest hope for this game is some good worldbuilding and seeing the Pokémon world in a different perspective.

 

[reaverz]

champions looks interesting- could this be a replacement platform for VGC eventually and the Games are focused into more single-player experiences? since they're taking more time in between games (seemingly) VGC does need something to help keep it fresh. There won't be anything new related to VGC until Nov 2026 and that's just with Gen X. Champions would allow them to rotate rosters more frequently and implement more into it without being strictly tied to the core games.

I do believe that GameFreak is dead set on releasing Champions in the first half of 2026 so that it can be used for VGC next year instead of SV. The Tera Water Dondozo versus Mega Charizard X is the least subtle hint imaginable in this regard.

Like others have stated, it will probably only have the Pokémon programmed into SV and LZ-A at launch, with only the Tera and Mega mechanics available for the foreseeable future.

And to go back to the reveal for Champions, did anyone else immediately do a double take when they saw Dondozo next to an Aegislash? I can be a bit slow, as it was only then that I finally realized what it all meant…

 

[Noah3475]

- Nice to see Megas back. Mega Stones as hold items were mentioned in the Presents, so it seems like hold items will be a thing here (unlike in Arceus). And OR/AS Megas will be there too (or at least some of them) since Mega Sableye was shown in the trailer.

When exactly did Mega Sableye occur? I rewatched the trailer and have missed it again.

The trailer leaves me wondering what approach the game will take concerning the Pokedex. Due to Mega Evolution, a larger subset of Pokémon can be seen as core to a region's identity than is for Sinnoh / Hisui. As far as I can tell, the only Pokémon shown that are not in Pokémon X & Y's Kalos Pokedex are Chikorita, Totodile and Tepig. Perhaps a subset of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Mega Evolutions will appear, those for Pokémon that already occur in the Kalos Pokedex.

ORAS Mega Evolutions

Those are Beedrill, Pidgeot, Slowbro, Steelix, Sableye, Sharpedo, Altaria, Salamence, Gallade, Audino and Diancie.

Edit: Corrected stupidity-induced oversight.

 

[R_N]

When exactly did Mega Sableye occur? I rewatched the trailer and have missed it again.

The trailer leaves me wondering what approach the game will take concerning the Pokedex. Due to Mega Evolution, a larger subset of Pokémon can be seen as core to a region's identity than is for Sinnoh / Hisui. As far as I can tell, the only Pokémon shown that are not in Pokémon X & Y's Kalos Pokedex are Chikorita, Totodile and Tepig. Perhaps a subset of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Mega Evolutions will appear, those for Pokémon that already occur in the Kalos Pokedex.

ORAS Mega Evolutions

Those are Beedrill, Pidgeot, Slowbro, Steelix, Sableye, Altaria and Salamence.

It's in the bit where they show Mega Kangaskhan & Mega Absol

 

[skip]

I wonder what starter i'm gonna choose

 

[Mad Ram]

It's taunting me...

Ok, I think I've gone on this wild goose chase long enough. Onto the other things.

At least for the exploration in the games, they also showed you can travel across rooftops, battle on them, and even hop across them to get to new ones, so it's not just gonna be limited to the roads, alleyways, and parks though it might still be repetitive if that's the main environment we see.

Onto Champions, I do wonder how long they are gonna support it for. Is it gonna be the new focus for VGC? If so, it could allow them to experiment more with combat in new games while still keeping the old battle style alive. Plus, as mentioned before, if they update it, it could be TPC's own version of the Nat Dex format, but we'll just have to wait and see. It could be really interesting if they future proof it like that. You don't have to wait for the next "version" games to actually battle with new mons.

 

[Yung Dramps]

Legends Z-A's Hex Maniac spotted