Is Pokémon Showdown still online?
Yes. Pokémon Showdown was online when we last checked.
Fan-made competitive Pokémon battle simulator, the official sim of Smogon University. [1]
What is Pokémon Showdown?
From Wikipedia
Pokémon Showdown is a fan-made simulator created by Guangcong "Zarel" Luo, for the purpose of competitive Pokémon battling using customisable teams of Pokémon. The site was adopted by Smogon University, a fan run community website and internet forum, in 2012, and became the official simulator used by the website and its forums. All Smogon tiers are available with individual competitive ladders on Showdown, with each tier split based on how often a certain species of Pokémon is used. Showdown is hosted as a web application and formerly as a Windows application.
Reception has been generally positive from gaming outlets and fans, though there have been concerns expressed regarding copyright infringement of the Pokémon franchise. The site has also been included in many academic studies focusing on artificial intelligence training.
Excerpt from the Wikipedia article “Pokémon Showdown”, by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Unmodified except for paragraph trimming.
In this directory, Pokémon Showdown sits in the classic web collection and is tagged strategy (28 games), battle (1 games), fan made (2 games) and 1v1 (13 games).
How to play
- 01Open pokemonshowdown.com in a desktop or mobile browser. It is the official site; avoid “unblocked” mirrors.
- 02The homepage doesn't say whether you need an account. Many games here let you play as a guest and register later to keep progress.
- 03The homepage doesn't list controls, so we don't guess. Most games show a tutorial or a “how to play” screen on first launch.
Platform notes
- Browser
- Plays in the browser from pokemonshowdown.com (our inclusion rule).
- Account
- Not stated on the homepage.
- Mobile
- Not stated on the homepage.
Status history
| Checked (UTC) | Status | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2026, 08:46 UTC | Online | 69 ms |
| Oct 29, 2026, 08:24 UTC | Online | 73 ms |
Per-check history started on Oct 29, 2026. Status changes across all games are in the status log.
Pokémon Showdown: FAQ
▸Is Pokémon Showdown still online?
Yes. At our last check on Oct 29, 2026, 08:46 UTC, the official site at pokemonshowdown.com responded normally (HTTP 200) in 69 ms. A site that answers doesn't guarantee busy servers, so if a lobby is empty, try a different time of day.
▸Do I need to download anything or make an account to play Pokémon Showdown?
Pokémon Showdown is playable from its official website in a web browser; that's our inclusion rule. Its homepage doesn't state whether an account is required, so expect a possible sign-up step.
▸What's the official Pokémon Showdown website?
https://pokemonshowdown.com/. Still Online only links to official game sites, never to re-uploads or mirror sites.
▸What games are similar to Pokémon Showdown?
If you like Pokémon Showdown, try Generals.io, Jinteki, 8 Ball Pool, 81Dojo.
If you like Pokémon Showdown
Generals.io
Online · 187ms · generals.io
Fast-paced strategy: protect your general, grow your army and capture the other generals.
#strategy #1v1
Jinteki
Online · 156ms · jinteki.net
Build Netrunner decks and play them online against other players.
#cards #deckbuilding #1v1
8 Ball Pool
Online · 571ms · 8ballpool.com · 2008
Miniclip's online pool game; play against others, first released for browsers.
#sports #pool #1v1
81Dojo
Online · 750ms · 81dojo.com
International online shogi site, supported by the Japan Shogi Association, with players from 90 countries.
#board #shogi #1v1
Astro Empires
Online · 356ms · astroempires.com
Free real-time space strategy MMO in a persistent universe.
#space #strategy #persistent
Chess.com
Online · 271ms · chess.com · 2007
Huge online chess site: play friends, strangers or the computer for free.
#board #chess #1v1