At the latest "Pokémon Presents" event, The Pokémon Company unveiled several strategically significant titles. Besides the free-to-play battle game "Pokémon Champions," which targets a wide audience and will be released on the Nintendo Switch in April, the highly anticipated "Pokémon Legends ZA" also revealed its uniquely shaped "Mega Garchomp Z."
In addition, Pokémon Pokopia, a sandbox slow-paced masterpiece developed in collaboration with Koei Tecmo and aimed at the next-generation console Nintendo Switch 2, will be released ahead of schedule on March 5, demonstrating the Pokémon IP's strong ambition to expand in all aspects.
The following is a summary of the three core highlights of this press conference.
Pokémon Champions: A New Generation of Free-to-Play Competitive Games Across Platforms
Pokémon Champions, a free Pokémon battle game slated for release on Nintendo Switch in April 2026 and later on iOS and Android in the summer, is designed to be "for everyone".
To lower the barrier to entry for battles, the official team has prepared a "+Starting Pack" containing 50 training tickets and 30 recruitment tickets, allowing new players to quickly develop their combat power. Besides the original support NPC group (such as Mayor Nakajima Nanami and battle instructor Cody), the biggest highlight of this game is its robust "ecosystem linkage":
ZA Exclusive Link: Players who bring their Pokémon, including Bricaron, Fennekin, Greninja, and Flareon (Eternal Flower), from Pokémon Legends ZA to this game via Pokémon HOME will be able to unlock their corresponding Mega Stones.
Early bird download bonus: Play before August 31 to get "Dragonite", and you can obtain evolution stones through the season battle pass to make it Mega Evolve.
Pokémon Legends ZA: The ultimate Dragon-type "Mega Garchomp Z" makes a stunning debut.
Regarding the upcoming paid expansion content, "Pokémon Legends ZA: Hyperdimension Blast," the official website has released exciting new information for players—"Mega Garchomp Z."
Unlike previous Mega Evolutions, this Sonic Pokémon abandons its Ground type in its Z-Form, becoming a pure Dragon type. It also gains the ability to float in the air and enormous claw wings, resulting in a more extreme and speed-oriented fighting style. Starting February 27th, players can access a special Dimensional Tunnel through the "Mystery Gift" to challenge and obtain the "Garuda Stone Z".
Meanwhile, it has been officially confirmed that Pokémon Legends: ZA will officially support cross-platform play with Pokémon HOME in Spring 2026. As a commemorative event, players can claim "boss-sized" Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile through the mobile version of HOME.
Pokémon Pokopia: The Pokémon version of Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch 2?
Pokémon Pokopia, a slow-paced sandbox game confirmed for release on Nintendo Switch 2 on March 5, 2026, is a new title co-developed by The Pokémon Company, GAME FREAK, and Koei Tecmo. It breaks away from the traditional battle and capture framework, allowing players to build a leisurely life with Pokémon in vast towns and nature.
• Specialist Pokémon:The video showcases the "Rotom Stereo" that can change background music and the "Square Chipmunk" that can create enhanced dishes.
• High-freedom sandbox and multiplayer online:Supporting up to 4 players, players can not only freely build and decorate towns, but also use the "Mimic" ability to transform into scene objects or Pokémon such as Magnemite to engage in fun interactions such as hide-and-seek.
• Special distribution format:It's worth noting that the physical version of this game for Nintendo Switch 2 will be sold as a "Key Card" with a download serial number, rather than a traditional physical cartridge.
More game content and events to be announced
In addition to releasing updates for games such as Pokémon Champions and Pokémon Legends ZA, The Pokémon Company also announced that Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, originally released on Game Boy Advance in 2004, have been officially launched on Nintendo Switch and are available for download and play starting today.
The Nintendo GameCube game Pokémon XD: Dark Lugia (ポケモンＸD 暗やみの旋風かぜダーク・ルギア), released in 2005, has been confirmed to be added to the "Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics" lineup in March.
In addition, a surprise "Pokémon 30th Anniversary Drone Show" was held at "PokéPark KANTO" in Yomiuriland.
In the Pokémon UNITE update, Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno have been confirmed to join the battle in that order, while Meganium, Typhlosion, and Feraligatr have also been officially confirmed to participate. The 3vs3 quick battle "Electronic Volleyball" has also been confirmed to hold a world tour, with details such as the event dates to be released later. Meanwhile, the smartphone game Pokémon Sleep has begun its "Miracle Snapshot Quest."
手機遊戲《寶可夢大師EX》則將推出紀念《寶可夢》30週年的大師EX拍組「赤紅 (1996)＆皮卡丘」，而紀念《寶可夢大師EX》推出6.5週年的大師EX拍組「小春 (2026週年慶)＆厄鬼椪」與「小青 (2026週年慶)＆太樂巴戈斯」也將分別在2月28日、3月2日推出，另外更推出即日起登入即可獲得鑽石3000個活動。
The mobile game Pokémon GO, which previously announced that it would hold celebrations to mark the 30th anniversary of the series and the 10th anniversary of the game, has confirmed that it will hold the "Pokémon 30th Anniversary Event: Big Gathering" from March 3rd to 9th. It is announced that almost all the Pokémon that have appeared in Pokémon GO to date will appear during these 3 days.
Trainers will receive a free "GO Pass: Pokémon 30th Anniversary Event" from the system starting at 10:3 AM Taiwan time on March 3rd, and can accumulate "GO Points" to upgrade their level before 8:3 PM Taiwan time on March 9th, thereby obtaining additional rewards. In addition, a paid version of "GO Pass" - "GO Pass Deluxe Edition" will also be available for purchase on the Pokémon GO Web Store.
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©1995-2025 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. Pokémon and Nintendo Switch are trademarks of Nintendo.
©2026 KOEI TECMO GAMES
※The game screenshots are from the development stage.
