Pokémon Champions Launch Woes Continue as Switch 2 Players Discover They Must Manually Dock and Undock Consoles for Best Graphics

Pokémon Champions, a new free-to-play battle game for the Switch 2, has launched with a frustrating bug requiring players to manually undock and re-dock their console to activate 4K graphics when playing in docked mode. This resolution fix, which must be performed every time the game is booted, adds to existing player dissatisfaction regarding missing features, sluggish 30fps gameplay, and a limited Pokémon roster, making the game feel like a "beta test." Developer ILCA, known for previous titles like Pokémon Home and the poorly-received Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes, developed the game using the Unity engine. The recurring technical issues are drawing criticism, especially given Champions is positioned as the future home for the franchise's competitive battling scene, despite its free-to-play model offering various paid memberships.