Pokémon developer says Champions was built as a classic battle preserve
Game Freak has indicated that the traditional Pokémon turn-based battle system may not be long for the main series. According to VGC, game director Kazumasa Iwao revealed in a new video that one of the core reasons for developing the standalone battle game Pokémon Champions was to preserve the classic rules for longtime fans.
Iwao stated that as the main series evolves away from that style, telling players to simply adapt to the new games "didn't feel right." Per the report, he wanted to give players who have enjoyed the existing style for decades a dedicated place to keep playing it, especially as titles like Pokémon Legends: Arceus and the upcoming Z-A have moved to real-time action.
Polygon's coverage of the same talk notes Iwao's translated comment: "One big reason [for Champions]: the battle rules we've used through the Pokémon series for so long may gradually start changing as the series moves forward." This implies the eventual mainline games could ditch the turn-based approach entirely.
The next mainline entries, Pokémon Winds and Waves for Nintendo Switch 2, are due next year. VGC reports it's currently unknown which battle style they will use.
Released earlier this year, Pokémon Champions is a free-to-play PvP battle simulator. The Pokémon Company has stated it will be used for all official competitive play going forward, including this weekend's 2026 World Championships in San Francisco.
