Pokemon Champions says it’s not „pay-to-win,” but that might not be entirely accurate

by

During today’s 24-minute Pokémon Presents event, we delved deeper into the upcoming game titled “Pokémon Champions”. From what has been revealed so far, this new title seems to focus predominantly on combat, with little in-game content other than assembling a team of Pokémon and engaging in battles against other players. As a longtime player of the Pokémon series, this shift towards competitive battles represents an exciting development, but it does raise one significant concern.

Pokemon Champions looks like the best competitive battle simulator, but it might have a major flaw

In 2026, the game titled “Pokémon Champions” is set for release. According to the official Pokémon website, this new battle-focused game promises an immersive experience filled with familiar mechanics that encourage diverse strategies suitable for both novice and experienced trainers. Players will have the option to import their personal teams from “Pokémon Home” directly into “Champions,” or they can recruit Pokémon within the game itself. The game offers three modes of battle: Ranked, Casual, and Private, providing players with a variety of play options. This development appears to open up the competitive scene more easily for gamers. However, while “Champions” claims not to be pay-to-win, it remains to be seen if they are fully transparent about their in-game purchases.

On the official Pokémon site, it’s stated that “Victory Points (VP) can be earned from Ranked Battles and other locations within Pokémon Champions. You’ll require VP to enlist and train Pokémon.” In essence, while using Pokémon Champions streamlines the process of preparing a competitive team, it doesn’t come without a cost. For instance, altering a Pokémon’s ability will set you back 400 VP. Mastering a new move costs 100 VP. Changing a nature requires 200 VP. Recruiting a new Pokémon demands 1,000 VP. Although many of the obstacles in training a competitive team have been eliminated, The Pokémon Company has ensured that some costs remain, which could potentially pose challenges down the line.

On the lower part of their website, The Pokémon Company aimed to dispel concerns about a “pay-to-win” situation. They reassured players that “VP cannot be bought directly; instead, continue battling and accumulating VP to strengthen your team further!” This is beneficial since buying VP outright would not have been desirable. However, I’m unsure if it entirely eliminates the risk of encountering this widespread issue in contemporary Pokémon games.

If it costs 1,000 VP to recruit a single Pokémon, then a team of six would cost 6,000 VP. This doesn’t include the cost of training. The accessibility of this amount of VP is uncertain at this point, but some players might consider using Pokémon Home as an alternative to recruiting. This strategy could help avoid high recruitment costs, but keep in mind that you’ll need a Nintendo console, another Pokémon game, and a Pokémon Home subscription to do so. So, while using Pokémon Home can bypass the in-game currency to some extent, it might make the game more pay-to-win for Champions.

Using just the Pokémon GO app, a free platform that interacts with Pokémon Home, can help you save on costs. However, keep in mind that this choice will restrict your options significantly since many new Pokémon from recent games have yet to appear in Pokémon GO. While it’s true that you could utilize the in-game recruitment of Pokémon Champions in this scenario, it’s also worth considering that buying the mainline Pokémon games would provide you with simpler access to a broader range of Pokémon.

Additionally, although Pokémon Champions doesn’t allow spending money within the game itself, it appears that investing money outside of it could make the process significantly easier.

In today’s intense competition, players must not only undergo training but also acquire numerous games to stay ahead. For instance, certain Pokémon, like Sneasler and Ursaluna, can be found exclusively in Pokémon Legends: Arceus yet remain significant in the current Scarlet and Violet competitive scene. Unfortunately, aspiring champions will need to invest in not one, but two $60 premium games, namely Scarlet and Violet, along with the subscription for Pokémon Home. It seems that the release of Pokémon Champions won’t significantly alter this competitive spending aspect.

The Pokémon Company, being a business, aims to generate profits, which is understandable. Yet, their strategies might potentially restrict the future enjoyment of Pokémon Champions for new players. Restricting creativity and accessibility, even slightly, isn’t beneficial for a competitive game like this in the long run.

While I don’t want to sound overly pessimistic about Pokémon Champions, I do believe it represents a significant stride in making competitive battling more approachable for the average Pokémon fan. However, I can’t help but feel that The Pokémon Company could have taken it one step further to ensure maximum accessibility.

There’s still much we haven’t figured out regarding the Pokémon Champions, and I must emphasize that most of what follows is speculation. However, it would surprise me if players were required to invest as many Victory Points for their Pokémon Home-transferred Pokémon in the future. Given its 2026 release date, we should uncover more details about this game as time passes.

Read More

2025-07-22 20:32