Good news, Pokémon fans. There have been several exciting announcements about upcoming Pokémon events and games—here are just a few to catch you up!
New battle modes revealed in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Trainers will be able to jump into the Z-A Battle Club in the Pokémon Legends: Z-A game in the newly revealed Link and Ranked Battles. In the Z-A Battle Club (Link Battles), up to four players will race to defeat as many Pokémon as possible within the time limit to take the top spot.
In Ranked Battles, up to four Trainers can compete online* with players from around the world to earn points. When players earn enough points, your rank will rise. You will start off at Rank Z, and can be promoted all the way up to the ultimate Rank A.
You can earn in-game rewards when a battle ends or when your rank increases, with additional rewards granted based on your final rank when the season ends after a set time period. Since rewards vary by season, active participation is necessary to climb the ranks and earn rewards.
Players will also be able to enjoy private battles with their friends using local communication** or with those farther away online.
Pokémon Champions coming to 2026 Pokémon World Championships
In 2026, Pokémon Trainers from around the world will battle it out when the Pokémon Video Game Championships makes the shift to Pokémon Champions at the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Franscisco.
Pokémon Champions is a new game coming to Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices in 2026. In this upcoming addition to the Pokémon game series, you take on other Trainers in single and double battles using familiar mechanics like Pokémon types, Abilities, and moves, enabling the rich and varied battle strategies you may already know and love from previous Pokémon games.
Mega Dragonite joins the battle
When Pokémon Champions launches in 2026, certain Trainer’s Pokémon will be able to undergo Mega Evolution, including the newly discovered Mega Dragonite introduced in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
*Nintendo Account and Internet access required for online features. For more info, go to support.nintendo.com.
**Additional games and systems required for multiplayer mode. Sold separately.