Pokemon Champions producer Masaaki Hoshino has responded to criticism of the game's visual presentation in an interview with Eurogamer Germany, saying he understands why fans are talking about it while also pointing to the limits the team is working within.
The comments matter because Champions is not just another Pokemon side project. It is a new battle-focused game for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, iOS and Android, and its early footage has left some fans asking why the Switch 2 version appears close to the original Switch version, including a reported 30 FPS lock.
Hoshino, a technical director at The Pokemon Company, has been with the series since Pokemon Yellow and later worked as producer on Pokken Tournament, Pokemon Unite and Pokemon Champions. Asked about the current debate around Champions, he said he relates to the fan reaction.
"Yes, as a Pokémon fan, I naturally understand the various discussions currently taking place within the fan community... I can totally relate to all of it. Regarding the graphics and gameplay, we've truly tried to do our best in both areas."
That answer does not give players a technical breakdown of why the game looks the way it does, especially on Nintendo's newer hardware. Hoshino instead compared Champions with Pokken Tournament, a more visually striking Pokemon fighter that had a much narrower on-screen setup.
"I have experience from working on Pokkén Tournament, and one of my goals for that game was actually to make the Pokémon game with the best graphics at the time. And I think we did a good job with that back then. But only two Pokémon were ever visible on screen at the same time. With Pokémon Champions, we have more limitations."
Hoshino also defended specific improvements in Champions, including individual shadows for Pokemon and updated battle effects. That is a useful glimpse at what the team prioritized, even if it may not settle the wider argument around Pokemon visuals, performance and how much a Switch 2 version should improve over the Switch release.
That leaves the visual debate unresolved. The Pokemon Company knows fans are scrutinizing Champions, but Hoshino's comments do not confirm whether the game will receive a more substantial visual or performance upgrade before or after launch.