{"id":1872109,"date":"2026-04-08T11:04:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T08:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1872109"},"modified":"2026-04-08T11:04:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T08:04:47","slug":"this-really-feels-like-a-beta-test-fans-criticize-free-to-play-pokemon-champions-with-complaints-over-missing-features-switch-2-performance-issues-and-its-limited-roster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1872109","title":{"rendered":"‘This Really Feels Like a Beta Test’ \u2014 Fans Criticize Free-to-Play Pok\u00e9mon Champions, With Complaints Over Missing Features, Switch 2 Performance Issues and Its Limited Roster"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pok\u00e9mon Champions<\/a> is getting a mixed response from fans, who have criticized the newly-launched free-to-play game for its lack of features, performance issues and limited roster of creatures.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Available now on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, Pok\u00e9mon Champions is pitched as the home of the franchise’s competitive battling scene for years to come. But it’s clearly still early days, and early reaction to the game has centered on the various features that Champions currently lacks, rather than what it includes.<\/p>\n

At launch, Champions is focused around being an online-only multiplayer game. An internet connection is always required, which was perhaps to be expected, though there’s also no local wireless play \u2014 something fans had been hoping for. You also need to add other players manually, rather than use your Switch friends list.<\/p>\n

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Other disappointments among fans include a lack of standard 6v6 battles, and the small roster of currently supported Pok\u00e9mon. Fans say just 185 Pok\u00e9mon species are currently available to use in the game, out of more than 1,025 total. Mega Evolutions are available for many of these, however, which does add slightly to the total. <\/p>\n

Visually, the game (which will also launch for smartphones later this year) has also been criticized. On Switch 2, fans say the game appears to be running at 30fps even while docked, while menu navigation is slow and icons appear fuzzy. <\/p>\n

“This really feels like a beta test,” wrote<\/a> MessyLessy on video game forum ResetEra. “I like a lot of the stuff that I’m seeing, but the performance issues, the missing content, etc etc are just so odd. Starting to think mobile is the main platform for this and that’s why it’s getting more time in the oven lol.”<\/p>\n

“I’ve played this for about 1.5 hour so far, and I like it,” countered another fan, wijuci. “The only bad surprise so far is the very limited set of items! No Assault Vest? No Life Orb? Very surprising. No Light Caly either for my Ninetale, but that’s more niche so I get it. I’m ok with the choices they made for this first release (no terrain, many staples Pok\u00e9mon unavailable) as it’s clear they will complete it later, but the item choice is a little too limited for my taste.”<\/p>\n

“Pok\u00e9mon Stadium 2 ran on an N64 in the year 2000 with more Pok\u00e9mon, 6v6, offline play, and local multiplayer,” wrote<\/a> maxdeploy via X\/Twitter. “26 years of hardware progress to ship a downgrade.”<\/p>\n

“The fact that I can’t do 6v6 against friends is honestly crazy,” added<\/a> KaneMarcus. “The one thing I was looking forward to doesn’t exist. I get not having it in ranked but cmon why take it away from CUSTOMS.”<\/p>\n

Fans had also been holding out hope for some kind of small single-player offering, perhaps offering a training mode or practice against AI opponents, though this is non-existent. <\/p>\n