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Pokemon Champions Drops Today: Your Access Guide
8 Apr
Summary
- Pokemon Champions launches on April 8, 2026, for Switch and Switch 2.
- Mobile launch is delayed; expect it later in 2026.
- No pre-load option; download starts at 5 am BST on April 8.

Pokemon Champions is now available for download on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 as of April 8, 2026. The highly anticipated title from GameFreak allows players to engage in online Pokemon battles. For those in the UK, the game unlocks on the eShop at 5 am BST.
Nintendo has a history of releasing its major titles around midnight EST, which translates to the 5 am BST launch time today. This release schedule was consistent with previous games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Players will need to wait until the official unlock time to begin downloading, as pre-loading is not supported for Pokemon Champions.
While the file size is not yet confirmed, similar Pokemon titles are typically under 10GB, suggesting a relatively quick download process once available. The game was also planned for a cross-platform release on iOS and Android devices today. However, this mobile launch has been officially delayed by GameFreak and is now expected sometime later in 2026.