Pokémon Champions Junior Coming to Germany and Brazil on September 9
Pokémon is introducing a special version of Pokémon Champions for younger competitive players in Germany and Brazil.
Pokémon Champions Junior will launch on the Nintendo eShop in Germany and Brazil on September 9, 2026, providing a version of the game with a lower age rating so younger players can continue participating in official Pokémon Championship Series events.
Why Is Pokémon Champions Junior Being Released?
Earlier this year, Pokémon Champions received a higher age rating in Germany and Brazil than it did in some other regions because of local age-classification requirements.
That created a problem for younger players who wanted to continue competing in official Pokémon VGC events.
Rather than preventing those players from competing, The Pokémon Company is releasing Pokémon Champions Junior, which has been specifically designed with a lower age rating.
The game is otherwise largely the same as the standard version of Pokémon Champions.
When Is Pokémon Champions Junior Available?
Pokémon Champions Junior will be available from:
September 9, 2026
The Junior version will be available through the Nintendo eShop in Germany and Brazil.
Importantly, this isn’t a replacement for the regular version of Pokémon Champions everywhere. It is being introduced specifically for players in these two countries who need the lower-rated version to participate in Championship Series events.
What Is Different About The Junior Version?
Pokémon Champions Junior is largely the same game as the standard Pokémon Champions.
However, some features have been removed.
The Junior version does not include certain features, including:
- In-app purchases
- Pokémon trial recruitments
- Various in-game items
The changes are intended to help the game meet the relevant age-rating requirements in Germany and Brazil.
The core Pokémon battle experience remains in place.
Who Will Need To Use Pokémon Champions Junior?
The new version becomes particularly important when the 2027 Championship Series season begins.
For VGC events in Germany, players who will be under 12 years old on the first day of the event will need to use Pokémon Champions Junior.
For VGC events in Brazil, players who will be under 14 years old on the first day of the event will need to use Pokémon Champions Junior.
Players who meet or exceed those respective ages can continue using the standard version of Pokémon Champions.
Both Versions Can Play Together
One of the most important details is that Pokémon Champions and Pokémon Champions Junior are fully compatible with each other.
That means players using the Junior version won’t be placed into a completely separate Pokémon Champions ecosystem.
They can continue battling against players using the standard version.
This is particularly important for competitive Pokémon, where players need to be able to participate in the same tournament environment regardless of which version they are required to use.
It Doesn’t Affect Australian Players
For Australian Pokémon VGC players, there is no change announced with this update.
Pokémon Champions Junior is specifically being released for Germany and Brazil, where the standard game’s age rating created an issue for younger Championship Series competitors.
Australian players will continue using the regular version of Pokémon Champions.
Pokémon Champions Is Now The Official VGC Platform
The announcement comes as Pokémon Champions continues to take over as the main platform for official Pokémon Video Game Championship competitions.
The game launched on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in April 2026, before also arriving on iOS and Android. Pokémon Champions supports cross-platform play between mobile devices and Nintendo Switch systems.
The timing is also significant because the 2027 Championship Series season will be the first season in which these regional requirements apply to Pokémon Champions Junior.
A Solution For Younger Competitive Players
Rather than requiring younger players in Germany and Brazil to stop competing because of regional age-rating requirements, Pokémon is providing a dedicated version that allows them to continue participating.
The important details are:
Pokémon Champions Junior
Release: September 9, 2026
Platforms: Nintendo Switch / Nintendo Switch 2 via Nintendo eShop
Countries: Germany and Brazil
Purpose: Allows eligible younger players to participate in Championship Series events
Compatibility: Fully compatible with the standard Pokémon Champions
With Pokémon Champions Junior, younger players affected by the regional age classifications will still be able to battle alongside the wider Pokémon Champions community.
And with the 2027 Championship Series season approaching, this should ensure those players can continue their competitive Pokémon journeys.
