Multiple Pokemon fans are finding that Pokemon Champions isn’t up to snuff for the competitive scene, saying that it lacks several Pokemon and items that were even advertised in pre-release trailers.
Currently, Pokemon Champions only supports 186 Pokemon, only featuring fully evolved forms (with some exceptions like Pikachu). One X post spotted by Kotaku points out that a Mega Evolution for Raichu seen in the game’s Pokemon Day trailer isn’t present in Champions, and another post highlights items seen in the overview trailer that aren’t in the game at launch.
>in the pokemon day trailer from a month ago
>isnt even in the fucking game
what did they mean by this pic.twitter.com/ssdJ3Rn6YE— Lewtwo (@Lewchube) April 8, 2026
To be somewhat fair to The Pokemon Company, most of the game’s trailers have disclaimers saying that footage might include Pokemon “unavailable at the time of the Nintendo Switch version’s release,” implying that other missing Pokemon and Mega Evolution forms like Mega Raichu X could be added at a later time or when the mobile version of the game releases.
Some players argued that the limited item selection and Pokemon roster should benefit newer and casual players, with one Reddit post contending that lesser-used items might see more usage and another post arguing that Champions will be a better introduction to competitive play as a result.
Still, many have expressed disappointment about the current state of Pokemon Champions on social media, with Serebii’s Joe Merrick lamenting that the game is “just lacking so many options,” predicting that “with fewer item options” and so few Pokemon to use, “competitive is going to suck for a while.”
Pokemon Champions also has another major issue, with some players saying they lost access to some Pokemon Home monsters after attempting to transfer them to Champions. While Pokemon Champions has the potential to grow with future updates, patches, and other additions, the fanbase appears largely dissatisfied with its offerings so far.
