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3d ago

Pokémon Moves VGC to Champions for 2026 as Legends: Z‑A Unveils Real‑Time 4‑Player Battles

The reveals signal a franchise pivot toward a standalone competitive hub with more action‑driven experimentation.

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Pokemon Legends Z-A multiplayer Battle Club
pokemon legends za battle club

Overview

  • The Pokémon Company confirmed Pokémon Champions as the official VGC platform for Worlds 2026 in San Francisco, with cross-platform support on Switch, Switch 2, and mobile as a free-to-start release.
  • Mega Evolution features in Champions’ initial ranked regulations, enabled by a new Omni Ring device that consolidates special battle mechanics.
  • Legends: Z‑A introduced Z‑A Battle Club, a real-time four-player mode with three-minute matches, ranked tiers from Z to A, seasonal rewards, and Private Battles.
  • Legends: Z‑A launches October 16 on Switch and Switch 2, with a Switch 2 hardware bundle and an upgrade path from the base Switch version.
  • Mega Evolution returns to the TCG ecosystem including TCG Pocket this fall with new Mega cards, and Pokémon GO staged a local Eternamax Eternatus debut in Anaheim.