After months of speculation and leaks, fans have finally been treated to the first glimpse of Pokémon Champions, a new multiplayer battle-centric Pokémon game. This exciting project is a collaboration between Game Freak and The Pokémon Works, a recent joint venture formed by The Pokémon Company and ILCA, the developers behind Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Pokémon Champions is designed to immerse players in the heart of Pokémon battles, featuring the series' beloved "core-style battles." The game will enable players to engage in online battles with one another. The trailer showcased the inclusion of both Mega Evolution and Terastalization, hinting at a comprehensive experience that spans various types and eras of Pokémon battles.

One of the standout features of Pokémon Champions is its integration with Pokémon Home. This connectivity will allow players to transfer Pokémon from other games into Pokémon Champions, providing a new purpose for the countless Pokémon stored in boxes from previous generations.

Currently in development for both Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms, Pokémon Champions does not yet have a confirmed release date. However, it will be available in Latin American Spanish at launch, alongside other languages traditionally supported in Pokémon games.

Pokémon Champions seems to be the same project as the previously leaked Pokémon Synapse, which surfaced during the "Freak Leak" last year. This leak revealed a wealth of internal Game Freak information, including unreleased games and Pokémon designs. At the time, Pokémon Synapse was described as a multiplayer game co-developed by Game Freak and ILCA, though details were sparse and somewhat speculative. While some drew comparisons to Splatoon, it appears those comparisons were not entirely accurate.

For a comprehensive overview of all the announcements from today's Pokémon Presents, you can find more details here.