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Pokémon Champions has shipped with a bug that blocks higher 4K visuals when playing on a docked Switch 2 — unless you manually undock and then re-dock your console.
The graphical issue, discovered by players following the game’s launch yesterday, adds to the growing list of grumbles around the free-to-play battle game — such as missing features and modes, sluggish 30fps gameplay, and a small roster of supported creatures.
Now, players say that the Switch 2’s version is stuck at 1080p when playing docked — until you pick up your console, take it out of the dock, then put it back in. After doing this, the game will actually register it is connected to a docked Switch 2 console and shift to a higher 4K framerate (the game will still be stuck at 30fps, though).
A widely-shared post on social media by Pokémon fan account CentroLeaks suggested the game’s docked Switch 2 resolution was “halved” unless players perform the redocking trick to fix the issue. The trick must also be repeated every time the game is booted while playing in docked mode, it’s been claimed.
“Can confirm I tested the resolution but going around for Pokémon Champions on Switch 2,” added Joe Merrick, who operates top Pokémon fansite Serebii.net. “If you boot it docked it won’t load in increased resolution so undock it and re-dock it then it will.
“ILCA and Unity,” Merrick continued. “What a duo.” The reference here is to video game engine Unity and ILCA, the development studio founded by The Pokémon Company to handle work on its lucrative franchise outside of its mainline games. ILCA previously handled the cloud storage software Pokémon Home, which Champions uses to import creatures, and the poorly-received Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes, launched back in 2021.
Yesterday, players branded the game as feeling “like a beta test,” though it is still early days. Pokémon Champions has pitched as the home of the franchise’s competitive battling scene for years to come, with more creatures and features to be added in future. Right now, though, the game features a tiny fraction of the franchise’s total Pokémon roster, and fans say its technical side needs improvement.
And while Champions is a free-to-play game, it has arrived with various paid options to spend money — including a 12-month membership priced $49.99 (also available monthly, with a recurring $4.99 cost). For this, players can store more Pokémon and have more Battle Teams usable at one time, as well as unlock exclusive missions and battle music. A separate, one-off $9.99 Starter Pack also increases Pokémon storage space, and there is of course a Premium Battle Pass (priced at $6.99), which adds extra rewards and exclusive clothing.
How have you found the game so far?
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
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https://www.ign.com/articles/pokemon-champions-launch-woes-continue-as-switch-2-players-discover-they-must-manually-dock-and-undock-consoles-for-best-graphics
Tom Phillips
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