If you had vivid fantasies about using your Pikachu, or your Chansey, Porygon2, or Dusclops in Pokémon Champions, The Pokémon Company just dashed them today with the news that not every Pokémon would be available in Pokémon Champions at launch, with the game specifically excluding any monster that’s not considered a “final evolution.” And that… kinda sounds like they mean Pikachu, too?
This comes from producer Masaaki Hoshino speaking to a roundtable of journalists, as reported by HypeBeast. In the roundtable, Hoshino said, “At launch, only final evolutions will be available… After we introduce a lot of the final evolutions, we might consider earlier evolutions as well. For now, this approach is more accessible for new players.”
Hoshino’s reasoning makes some sense, as new players might roll up into challenging battles using unevolved Pokémon without realizing how much of a disadvantage they are at. At the same time, this actually takes away a meaningful part of Pokémon’s meta: Eviolite, a held item that significantly raises the defense and special defense of a Pokémon if it could potentially still evolve. Over the years, its existence has allowed some Pokémon such as Dusclops, Chansey, Clefairy, and Porygon2 to thrive in Pokémon’s meta. While it’s still almost always better to use a fully evolved monster, this strips out a potential strategy from the jump.
It also, unfortunately, makes it frustrating for more casual players to enjoy the game with their faves, and eliminates the ability to have matches with others with silly rules, like only baby Pokémon.
And also it seems like it eliminates one Pokémon you’d bet money would be in the game: Pikachu. Pikachu can evolve into Raichu, meaning by Hoshino’s stated rules, it shouldn’t be allowed in Champions at launch. That feels absolutely bonkers to me, especially given that Pikachu is literally in the official artwork for the game. More likely, The Pokémon Company will carve out an exception for Pikachu as the franchise’s mascot. And if the game’s opening movie is to be believed, Eevee may also get an exception. This wouldn’t be the first time Pokémon has done this, as the original Japanese version of Pokémon Stadium also had a limited roster of only fully evolved monsters, plus Pikachu. When that game released globally, it included every Pokémon (that existed at the time).
We’ve reached out to The Pokémon Company for comment as to whether there will be an exception carved out for Pikachu. In the meantime, sorry to everyone who wanted to roll up with a Munchlax army as a troll or something. Toss the Eviolite in the storage box for now.
Pokémon Champions just got a confirmed release date of April 8 on Switch consoles, with a mobile release coming later this year. Champions will serve as the primary competitive field for official Pokémon tournaments once it’s out, including the Pokémon World Championships.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
