For the longest time, I've wanted to play competitive Pokémon, but there's just one problem. I don't have the time to train my team. If you've just got a passing interest in Pokémon, that might sound ridiculous. After all, it's fundamentally a kid's game, so how hard could it be? As it turns out, it's very difficult and time-consuming, which is potentially a reason that the competitive format isn't an even bigger deal than it already is. However, Pokémon Champions could be about to change all of that.
Before we get into Pokémon Champions, though, let me break down the fundamentals of training a competitive Pokémon team for you. First, you have natures, which, for the most part, boost one stat while nerfing another. For example, a Pokémon with a lonely nature will have a higher attack stat than normal but a lower defense stat. Certain natures suit certain styles of play. Whether you're looking for a bulky attacker with lots of HP, like Snorlax, or a special attacker with high speed to make sure you always hit first, such as Alakazam and other psychic Pokémon, you need a nature to suit your Pokémon's strengths.
Outside of natures, there are also IVs and EVs. This is where things really start to get technical. Let's start with IVs. When you catch or produce a Pokémon from breeding, it comes with a set of IVs that go from 0 to 31 for every stat, and the higher the number, the bigger the stat boost you get. You can, with some selective breeding, create Pokémon with perfect IVs, but it's a slow process and involves a lot of running around, hatching eggs, and checking stat menus. It's not quite as long-winded as trying to breed a shiny Pokémon, but it's not far off.
EVs, on the other hand, are a direct result of training. Each Pokémon can reach a maximum of 510 EVs overall, limited to 252 EV points per stat, with each four points equating to a single point stat boost. So, if you wanted that fast Alakazam I mentioned earlier, you'd put 252 EVs into speed and special attack, using the remaining six to slightly buff your HP. I'm not going to delve too much into EV training here, just to spare you, but it involves defeating the same wild Pokémon over and over again to boost a certain stat. In simple terms, it's not much fun, even if held items like the Power Bracer or Power Anklet can speed up the process.
Currently, if you want to put together a competitive party of Pokémon, you need to breed for the right IVs and nature before training EVs to the maximum across an entire party of six. There are some ways of getting around this, through using items such as Calcium and Iron to boost specific EV stats, mints to change a Pokémon's nature, and bottle caps to max out specific IVs. However, it's a lot of effort and requires a fair amount of in-game grinding to be able to afford or source all the items you need.
Not only is it a lot of work, but if you're new to competitive Pokémon, your first team might not be all that good. That was my experience, at least. I trained up some of my favorites for online battling in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, with a specific strategy in mind involving a shiny Politoed creating rainy conditions and a Kingdra with the Swift Swim ability reaching a seriously impressive speed stat in wet weather.
What I didn't account for at the time was the popularity of Miraidon, a powerful legendary, well-equipped to exploit the water Pokémon weakness by hitting with super-effective electric-type attacks. I lost a lot of games. I wanted to go back to the drawing board, but more than that, I wanted the ten or more hours of in-game grinding I spent developing my team back. Since then, I've only dabbled in online play.
Now, with that explainer and a bit of context out of the way, onto the important bit. What exactly is Pokémon Champions changing that could make the process of training Pokémon for competitive battles easier? During the July 2025 Pokémon Presents showcase, we saw a few more gameplay clips, including one that had a training menu that seemingly enables you to select your EVs and your Pokémon's nature freely. For a lot of fans, this wasn't a big deal. For competitive players, this is an absolute game-changer.
It's no secret that competitive players have turned to Pokémon Showdown, an unofficial online battle simulator, for years to harness their skills and plan their IVs, EVs, natures, and move pools. What takes hours, if not days, in any of the main series games takes just a few minutes using Showdown. With that in mind, it serves as a way for players to experiment with moves, natures, and EVs before committing time and in-game resources to recreating their party in the latest series game.
While neither The Pokémon Company nor Game Freak has ever officially commented on the existence of Pokémon Showdown, both are likely aware of how big a part it currently plays in the competitive scene. It serves as a training ground for the real deal, but if Pokémon Champions delivers in the way it looks like it might, Showdown could quickly become irrelevant. That's likely what the IP owner wants, as, after all, Pokémon is a product, and Showdown isn't providing any sort of revenue towards TPC or Game Freak.
Still, it's not just Pokémon Champions' training feature that could produce a resurgence in interest in the competitive format. The game is coming to Android and Apple mobile devices as well as Nintendo Switch, which makes for an even bigger potential player base. There's also the option to import your finest catches from Pokémon Home to Champions, and given that Pokémon Go connects to Pokémon Home, there could be a massive pool of future competitors that have never even played a main series game like Scarlet and Violet or Sword and Shield. Just think of that: an entire generation that won't have to suffer through mercilessly grinding level three Pidgeys for a single speed EV.
The final noteworthy change to the classic online Pokémon battling formula I noticed from the latest Pokémon Champions trailer that could make a difference is the introduction of HP percentages for enemy monsters. For the longest time, it's been almost impossible to assess just how much health your opponent's active Pokémon has, but, by the look of it, there's now a percentage meter next to the opposing Pokémon's health bar, which could turn seeing off an enemy from guesswork into something of a fine art. It's not quite as big a deal as the training feature, but it's something that competitive players have wanted for a long time.
I'm not the only one who thinks that Pokémon Champions could change the game for competitive players. Following the reveal of new information in the July 2025 Pokémon Presents showcase, the one and only Wolfe Glick, the 2016 VGC World Champion, discussed the new game on a livestream, mainly concentrating on the quick glimpse of the training menu that also had me thinking about the repercussions on the competitive game. He also followed up with an X thread, pointing out a lot of the potential benefits of Pokémon Champions for both those who already play at the highest level and those who have always wanted to. If Wolfe thinks it sounds promising, then it's probably pretty promising.
Of course, we'll have to wait for Pokémon Champions to launch in 2026 to see if it really does hold the key to unlocking the potential of the competitive game. I still have some doubts, especially surrounding the possibility of having to pay for in-game resources to adjust your Pokémon's stats, potentially pricing some people out of the game. Still, for now, I'm feeling pretty optimistic, and I can't wait to get online in Pokémon Champions and get my revenge on Miraidon. I might forgive, but I never forget.
For more Pokémon goodness, be sure to check out our guides to all the best cat Pokémon, dog Pokémon, snake Pokémon, and monkey Pokémon. We've also got a guide detailing everything we know about the Pokémon Legends Z-A release date and starters, plus a long list detailing all of the other upcoming Switch games you've got to look forward to.