Nintendo has just announced that those attending the upcoming 2026 Pokemon Europe International Championships in London will be able to play Pokemon Pokopia early. This in-person event is set to take place on February 13–15 and will let fans try out Pokemon Pokopia almost three weeks before its March 5, 2026 release date.
Announced during the September 2025 Nintendo Direct, Pokemon Pokopia is a life-sim in a similar vein to games like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon. Players will take on the role of a Ditto who has assumed the form of a human, and they’ll set out to make the island they find themselves on an idyllic home for the local Pokemon inhabitants. Along the way, players will gain new abilities from the Pokemon they encounter, such as Squirtle’s Water Gun and Bulbasaur’s Leafage moves, which both help to improve the island.
Pokemon: 5 Companions Who Were Way More Annoying Than You Remember Them Being
Ash traveled with many friends and rivals throughout his journey, yet some could be rather irritating at times.
Pokemon Europe International Championship Attendees Will Get to Play Pokopia Early
Ahead of its February 13 start date, Nintendo has confirmed that the 2026 Pokemon Europe International Championships will be home to a playable demo of Pokemon Pokopia, giving attendees the opportunity to be some of the first people in the world to get their hands on the game. It’s currently unclear just what this demo will contain, however, or how long it will be. Along with one of the first public demos for Pokemon Pokopia, the Pokemon Europe International Championships show floor will also house a playable demo of the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
The last time fans got to see Pokemon Pokopia in detail was during a November 2025 gameplay deep-dive, which revealed around 10 minutes of new footage. This showcase detailed Pokopia‘s Habitat-based gameplay loop, whereby players will create special environments to attract specific Pokemon. New Ditto abilities were also revealed, such as the ability to transform into Lapras to swim and Dragonite to fly. New player and island customization features were also teased, along with a photo mode, 4-player co-op, and Nintendo Switch 2 GameShare functionality. The final moments of the Pokemon Pokopia gameplay deep-dive revealed new forms of three popular Pokemon: Pikachu, Snorlax, and Smeargle. These new forms are Peakychu, Mosslax, and Smearguru.
Those attending the upcoming London-based Pokemon event will be able to participate in and watch competitive match-ups in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Pokemon TCG, Pokemon GO, and Pokemon Unite. Newcomers to the Pokemon Trading Card Game can check out the event’s Play Lab, where they’ll engage in demos explaining the game’s core rules and have an opportunity to walk away with some promotional gifts. The 2026 Pokemon Europe International Championships will also feature a Pokemon Center pop-up store, which will be home to event-exclusive merchandise such as a Pikachu plush that’s holding a display case.
While tickets for the 2026 Pokemon Europe International Championships are sold out, fans can still watch much of the event’s proceedings via YouTube and Twitch livestreams. In fact, those who tune in to watch the Pokemon EUIC can earn an assortment of in-game rewards for titles like Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Pokemon GO, Pokemon TCG Live, and Pokemon Unite. For example, watching the official Pokemon EUIC Twitch stream for 60 minutes will gain four ‘Mega Evolution – Ascended Heroes’ booster packs for Pokemon TCG Live, and inputting passwords revealed during the stream will grant them rare illustration cards. Passwords given during the stream will also give Pokemon Scarlet & Violet players a Hisuian Typhlosion inspired by Yuma Kinugawa, a player who reached the top of the Masters Division of the 2026 Latin America International Championships.
- Released
-
March 5, 2026
- ESRB
-
Everyone / Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
