Pokémon champions stymied by docked 4k bug – a fix requires a reboot

The highly anticipated Pokémon Champions launch has hit a snag, leaving players grappling with a frustrating graphical glitch that prevents true 4K visuals when playing on a docked Switch 2. It’s a significant blow to what was touted as a visual showcase for the latest installment in the beloved battle franchise.

Docked-only 4k remains elusive

Early adopters discovered that achieving the promised 4K resolution while playing docked proved problematic. The solution, it turns out, is surprisingly simple – and somewhat irritating: a manual undock and re-dock sequence. This workaround, repeatedly implemented, is currently the only way to coax the Switch 2 into displaying the higher resolution.

Initial reports, fueled by CentroLeaks’ widely circulated post, suggested the console was effectively ‘halving’ the resolution unless this tedious process was executed. The comments section of the post quickly filled with user frustration, highlighting the game’s inconsistent performance.

Joe Merrick, operator of the Serebii.net Pokémon fan site, confirmed the issue, stating bluntly: “If you boot it docked it won’t load in increased resolution so undock it and re-dock it then it will.” The blame game is already underway, with ILCA and Unity – the development studio and video game engine behind the project respectively – facing the brunt of the criticism. ILCA’s history includes handling Pokémon Home and the recent, underwhelming remakes of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, adding fuel to the fire.

While the game pitches itself as the home of competitive battling, the technical shortcomings are undeniably detracting from the experience. The roster remains disappointingly limited, and the 30fps performance, even when docked and properly configured, feels sluggish. Furthermore, the free-to-play model, layered with paid options ranging from a $49.99 12-month membership to a $9.99 Starter Pack, is raising eyebrows.

Players are branding Champions as feeling ‘like a beta test’ – a sentiment echoed by numerous online forums. Despite the ongoing issues, ILCA and Unity are promising more creatures and features in future updates. But for now, battling is marred by this persistent, easily-remedied, but incredibly inconvenient bug. And let’s be honest, the sheer audacity of requiring a manual reboot to unlock 4K is a spectacular failure of ambition.