The 2025 Pokemon World Championships are over, but the organization waited for the last moment - as is customary - to make a splashy announcement that's sure to turn Pokemon fans' heads after the omission of this particular mode in 2022's otherwise-excellent Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
From the mainline Pokemon games' competitive scene, to the equally cutthroat Pokemon TCG, to Pokemon Go, Pokemon Unite, and more, the World Championships are always a good time. But personally, and with full respect for all the winners and the challengers they faced along the way, this is what I was waiting for. A packed crowd at the Anaheim Convention Center just witnessed the dramatic reveal of a full-blown online mode for the upcoming Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A's online functionality won't be akin to the "VGC" format we're used to seeing from the mainline generational titles, which is to say, it's not the same sort of hop-in/hop-out one-on-one matchmaking. It's something different, which is fast becoming a hallmark of Game Freak's Legends sub-series.
The mode is called Battle Club, and it looks rad. Battle Club is fought via three-minute rounds featuring four players....
