Pokémon champions bars pikachu? the logic is… questionable
The Pokémon faithful are reeling this week after a surprising announcement from The Pokémon Company: Pokémon Champions, the upcoming competitive battling platform, will initially restrict players to final evolutions only. Yes, you read that right. Your beloved Pikachu, Chansey, and other fan-favorites may be sidelined at launch, a decision that has sparked a fierce debate within the community.
A new player focus, or a strategic misstep?
Producer Masaaki Hoshino, speaking to a roundtable of journalists—as reported by HypeBeast—explained the rationale: a desire to ease new players into the challenging world of competitive battling. The argument is that lesser-evolved Pokémon can be significantly disadvantaged in early matches, potentially discouraging newcomers. But, and this is a sizable ‘but,’ the restriction effectively neuters a core strategic element of the Pokémon meta: the utilization of Eviolite.
For years, Eviolite, a held item that dramatically boosts a Pokémon’s defense and special defense if it's capable of evolving, has allowed strategically minded players to elevate Pokémon like Dusclops, Chansey, Clefairy, and Porygon2 to competitive viability. While fully evolved forms remain generally superior, Eviolite introduced a fascinating layer of tactical depth. Removing this from the equation isn’t about streamlining the experience; it’s about removing choice.
The frustration is palpable, particularly for those who enjoy more casual play or wish to create custom matches with unorthodox rules—imagine a league comprised entirely of adorable, fluffy baby Pokémon. The prospect of that kind of playful experimentation is now significantly diminished.
But the real eyebrow-raiser? The implication that Pikachu, the franchise’s mascot and a cultural icon, might also be excluded. Pikachu evolves into Raichu, and under Hoshino’s stated guidelines, that would disqualify it from Champions’ initial roster. The sheer absurdity of this possibility is not lost on anyone. It’s virtually certain The Pokémon Company will carve out an exception for Pikachu, a move that wouldn't be unprecedented. Recall the original Japanese Pokémon Stadium, which also featured a limited roster of fully evolved Pokémon, plus, predictably, Pikachu.
The company has been contacted for clarification regarding Pikachu’s status, and we’ll update this story as soon as we receive a response. Until then, stash that Eviolite away—for now. Pokémon Champions arrives on Switch consoles April 8th, with a mobile release slated for later this year, and will serve as the official competitive arena for the Pokémon World Championships. Don't expect to see a Munchlax army anytime soon.