The 2025 Pokémon World Championships took place over the weekend in Anaheim, California, where thousands of fans – and even more watching online – flocked to celebrate the very best of the Pokémon competitive scene.
In addition to watching games for Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, Pokémon TCG, Pokémon GO and Pokémon UNITE, fans were also treated to exciting announcements across Pokémon’s slate of games. Here’s everything you need to know:
Pokémon World Championships 2026
The Pokémon World Championships will return on August 28, 2026, now with an all-new fan experience named PokémonXP. This event will take place alongside the 2026 Pokémon World Championships competitions at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, which promises to offer new fandom experiences for all players.
Multi-day passes will be available for advance purchase on September 17, 2025. Fans can find more details at PokemonXP.com and Pokemon.com/Worlds.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Pokémon Legends: Z-A showed off a new feature, Link and Ranked Battles. In Link Battles, up to four players can race to defeat as many Pokémon as possible within the time limit to take the top spot; while in Ranked Battles, up to four Trainers can compete online from around the world to earn points. Players will also be able to enjoy Private Battles with their friends, using local communication or through online play.
When players earn enough points, they will rise in rank, with trainers starting off at Rank Z and rising all the way up to the ultimate Rank A. Players can also earn in-game rewards when a battle ends or when their rank increases, with additional rewards granted based on their 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.
Pokémon Champions
Next year, the Pokémon Video Game Championships will make the shift from the mainline games to a new title, Pokémon Champions. When Pokémon Champions launches in 2026, Trainers will compete in Ranked Battles where Pokémon will be able to undergo Mega Evolution and become Mega-Evolved Pokémon.
Pokémon Champions is a free-to-start game coming to Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices in 2026. More details on a paid digital version of Pokémon Champions on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch systems will be shared in the future.
Pokémon GO
Poison- and Dragon-type Eternatus made its debut at the World Championships, along with new Max Battles featuring this Legendary Pokémon. Both will make their global debut with GO Pass: Max Finale, launching later this month during the Dark Skies event.
Pokémon TCG
Pokémon TCG will introduce Mega attack rare, an all-new card rarity that features attack names in katakana, reminiscent of the original Mega Evolution Pokémon-EX cards from the XY Series. Mega attack rare cards coming to the Pokémon TCG include Mega Charizard X ex, Mega Gardevoir ex, and Mega Lucario ex.
Trainers also received a first look at Mega Dragonite, which will be coming to the Pokémon TCG as a new Pokémon ex.
Pokémon TCG Pocket
This fall, Pokémon TCG Pocket fans can expect to get their hands on Mega Evolution Pokémon ex cards, including Mega Gyarados ex, Mega Blaziken ex, and Mega Altaria ex.
Pokémon UNITE
Last but not least, fans got their first look at Empoleon, Dhelmise and Vaporeon, the newest Pokémon set to join Pokémon UNITE. Empoleon will join the roster on September 19, with Dhelmise and Vaporeon coming soon.
For more updates, be sure to check out Play.Pokemon.com.
