Pokémon Officially Drops New Free Game, No Subscription Needed

With the Pokémon franchise celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, it is no surprise that announcements and releases are coming thick and fast with fans eager to mark this impressive milestone. From the announcement of the next major entry in the series, Pokémon Winds & Waves, to unofficial releases that bring together four iconic regions in one content-packed download.

Put simply, there is no better time to be a Pokémon fan and with 2026 still young, we can expect plenty of more announcements throughout the rest of the year. For now, however, fans can look forward to a free Pokémon title that can be downloaded even without a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

Pokémon Champions Has Landed

Built with an emphasis on multiplayer battles, team customization, and seasonal progression, Pokémon Champions is finally here as it launches on both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 for absolutely free. Based on the official Pokémon Video Game Championship events, Pokémon Champions puts a twist on the standard Pokémon RPG series by allowing players to take part in Single Battles and Double Battles. To win, you will have to build teams based on Pokémon types as well as their abilities, statistics, and move selection. However, fear not, as Mega Evolutions are also available in game, and can turn the tournament in your favor thanks to your team’s potential powerful transformations.

Set to arrive on mobile at a later date, Pokémon Champions is the perfect way to get to grips with battling without having to play through an entire campaign in previous single-player entries. Additionally, online multiplayer will be available upon the launch of Pokémon Champions, allowing you to progress through Ranked Battles against other players from all over the world. The more you play, and win, the more you will earn Season Points, which contribute towards progression in the seasonal Battle Passes.

This Pokémon Game Is Free To Play

Although Pokémon Champions is free to play, there will be in-game transactions such as the seasonal Battle Passes which can be upgraded to earn additional exclusive rewards. These offer cosmetics, avatar customization, and much more. However, you are more than welcome to just play Pokémon Champions without the Battle Pass and, so, you can enjoy a purely free-to-play experience.

As we wait for major titles such as Pokémon Winds and Waves, free titles like Pokémon Champions are the perfect way to pass the time, and may even see the battle practice pay off.

Systems

Released

April 8, 2026

ESRB

Everyone / Mild Fantasy Violence

Developer(s)

The Pokémon Works, Game Freak

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Cross-Platform Play

Full

Cross Save

Yes