Pokemonis gradually easing into the Nintendo Switch 2 generation, and the latest Pokemon Presents has revealed its next steps. Various titles likePokemon ScarletandViolet,Pokemon Go,Pokemon Unite, and more are still receiving updates, whilePokemon ConciergeandPokemon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichuare pushing deeper into television.Pokemon Friendsjust launched for Switch and mobile platforms,Pokemon Legends: Z-Ais just around the corner, andPokemon Championsis landing in 2026. There’s a lot to look forward to, andPokemon Championsis bringing something especially valuable to the franchise.
Since its inception,Pokemonhas given players the means to train their Pokemon teams and compete with each other, but never quite likePokemon Championswill. Taking influence from thePokemon Stadiumseries andPokemon Battle Revolution,Pokemon Championsserves as aPokemonbattle simulatorwith online matchmaking. Even with a combination of rental Pokemon andPokemon HOMEintegration, that offering may sound thin, but it also introduces the chance to tweak Pokemon stats, natures, and abilities as a core feature. This is a huge shift in priorities forPokemon, and should enable future games to take the series in other directions.
Pokemon Champions Is All-Competition, So Generation 10 Can Be Something Else
PvP Fans Will Be Thoroughly Served By Pokemon Champions
The existence ofPokemon Championsshould prompt a companion game that focuses on what it doesn’t, with that being storytelling, exploration, and general innovation. All of that sounds like strong pillars forPokemonGeneration 10 to focus on, and it feels like the franchise’s momentum is already pushing it in their direction. AnytimePokemonhas taken a serious crack at narrative, like inPokemon BlackandWhite, the first fewPokemon Mystery Dungeonentries, and most recentlyScarletandViolet, have drawn positive responses from fans, so Generation 10 might as well keepS&V’s streak up.
Meanwhile,Pokemon Championscan service players that prefer raw competition, especially those who are interested in experimenting with the battle system. That’s not to say thatPokemon’s tenth generation should exclude its online aspects, but Game Freak and The Pokemon Works will have a more focused receptacle to test out mechanics, bring back old species that are otherwise stuck inPokemon HOME, and provide an especially slick presentation for PvP matches. MainlinePokemontitles have already split their resources between competitive and casual features, so letting both have their own game will better serve their particular crowds.
Generation 10 Is Free To Be Pokemon’s Big Narrative Moment
WithPokemon Championspresent in the franchise’s ecosystem to engage those who want to be the very best,PokemonGeneration 10 can turn its attention to those still wanting to catch ‘em all, at least in theory. More room to experiment in its narrative space can’t exclude the usual tenets ofPokemon, but it does allow for new methods of realizing them. At the very least, restoring the goal of filling out aNational Dex by focusing mostly on new Pokemonbefore the postgame will feel more fitting in a game already trying out new things, and provide a solid foundation to build up a more involved plot.
Pokemon Gen 10 Can Try Anything With Pokemon Champions To Fall Back On
Pokemon ScarletandVioletwere somewhat scattered in their attempt to fit three parallel storylines into their open world, but fan reception proves it was worth the risk. Now,PokemonGeneration 10 can dive even further into unorthodox storytelling, like featuring a player character with a set personality, sequences spent in one-off areas, or taking over other characters entirely. Greater attention can even be paid to building uplore for Generation 10’s region, and gym progression is now more of a suggestion.Pokemon Championstakes the pressure off ofPokemonto be an all-in-one package, so it should take this chance to become something else.
