Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will soon be replaced by Pokémon Champions.
Pokémon Champions is all set to replace Pokémon Scarlet and Violet at the 2026 Pokémon World Championships. During this year’s Pokémon World Championships closing ceremony, it was announced that all Pokémon VGC battles will take place in Pokémon Champions next year, despite the game still being unreleased as of now.
Pokémon Champions is coming to Worlds 2026
Pokémon Champions is an upcoming Pokémon battling-focused spin-off game, featuring a new and simplified training system, Pokémon Home connectivity, and multiple online modes. The game will soon replace the latest mainline Pokémon games, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, as next year’s VGC platform at the Pokémon World Championships (also known as Worlds).
Worlds 2026 will take place in San Francisco, and its VGC events will see a number of changes thanks to the inclusion of Pokémon Champions. First off, the game will feature an all-new Mega Evolution: Mega Dragonite. The Mega Evolution will first be introduced in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, but it will also be available in Champions play.
This is an important addition, considering that the first set of Ranked Battles rules in Pokémon Champions will allow players to Mega Evolve their Pokémon in VGC battles. This requires the use of a new in-game item: the Omni Ring, which doubles a Key Stone for Mega Evolutions. More battle features will require the use of the Omni Ring in the future.
Pokémon Champions is set to launch sometime in 2026.
