Pokémon Champions is an interesting, confusing game, because I’m having fun with it, but every decision it makes seems to be bad for one or both of its target audiences. It’s billed as the new hub for competitive Pokémon battling, but it’s also aiming to be an entry point for people interested in the scene. Its launch has limited the number of available Pokémon and held items, which is great if you don’t want to be overloaded with options, but disappointing if you’re hoping to use a specific team composition. You can build a team right there in the game, but it can be frustrating for a newcomer who has to spend resources to catch up to players who have had competitively viable monsters for months or years. And it’s also a free-to-play game, structured more like other microtransaction-laden Pokémon apps than a traditional online multiplayer experience, which isn’t really fun for anyone. There are vouchers, currencies, a monthly membership, a battle pass, cosmetic rewards, and plenty of mechanical incentives to spend money.
Despite all of that… Pokémon battles have always been, and remain, very fun. I like building a team, playing mind games, and climbing the ranked ladder. I enjoy the fact that I can get a relatively viable team with minimal time commitment, and it’s been especially fun to experiment in the lower ranks with other players (some of whom I’m sure are small children) who are just using the Pokémon they think are cool. All things considered, the $7 starter pack isn’t that big of a financial hurdle to get started, even if the principle of the purchase puts me off. Much of Pokémon Champion, for lack of a better term, gives me the ick, but my time with it has been enjoyable regardless.