Pokemon Company launched Pokemon Champions on iPhone, iPad, and Android on June 17, bringing a free-to-play, battle-only ranked matchmaking experience to mobile. The game supports cross-platform battles with Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, pulls in elig
On June 17, Pokemon Champions landed on iPhone and iPad—and for players who care less about roaming and more about the fight, it’s an entirely different kind of Pokemon game.
The free-to-play title is built around competitive battles instead of exploration or story content. From the start, players get a familiar competitive toolkit: Pokemon types, abilities, and moves. Matches come in ranked. casual. and private modes. with the same kind of matchmaking ecosystem players already expect on Nintendo consoles.
The biggest change isn’t just that it’s on mobile. Pokemon Champions also supports cross-platform battles between mobile devices, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. That means iPhone and Android players aren’t boxed into their own isolated opponent pool. They’re sharing matchmaking across phones, tablets, and Nintendo consoles through one shared system.
There’s also a bridge for long-time collectors. Players can connect Pokemon Home to bring eligible Pokemon from existing collections into Pokemon Champions.
The App Store listing fills in details that weren’t part of the launch announcement. Pokemon Champions is a universal app for iPhone and iPad and requires iOS or iPadOS 16 or later. The download size is listed as 2.25 GB.
Money is part of the live-service package too. The App Store details show the game relies on subscriptions and other optional purchases. Players can buy a $9.99 Premium Battle Pass, or subscribe for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.
For anyone jumping in right away, Pokemon Company is also sweetening the timing. The company is running a free in-game giveaway tied to the mobile launch: players who log in between June 17 and September 1 can claim a Raichu along with Raichunite X and Raichunite Y.
Built to focus on battling rather than collection-style gameplay—unlike Pokemon GO—Pokemon Champions is now aiming at a different kind of Pokemon audience: one that wants competitive matchups, consistent mechanics, and the sense that the player base isn’t limited by what screen they’re using.
The rollout also makes one thing clear: this isn’t a side game confined to handheld play. With cross-platform matchmaking spanning iPhone. Android. Nintendo Switch. and Nintendo Switch 2. Pokemon Champions is positioning its competitive ecosystem as something players can step into from anywhere—then stay in long enough to matter.
Pokemon Champions iPhone iPad Android Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 cross-platform matchmaking Pokemon Home Raichu Raichunite X Raichunite Y Premium Battle Pass live service