Are there Gym Battles in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

The primary focus for a majority of the Pokémon games is for you to work your way through the various gyms and eventually take on the region’s elite four to become the champion. That is not the case for Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The formula is shaking up quite a bit, and your primary concern will be to research the Pokémon in their natural habitat. With the focus changing, are there Gym Battles in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?

You and your Pokémon will be leveling up and training for the challenges ahead in Pokémon Legends, but you will not have to worry about Gym Battles in the game. Gym Leaders will not appear in the game. Instead, you’ll be encountering various Pokémon Wardens, protectors of the Noble Pokémon. 

The Wardens will be how you learn and eventually interact with the various Noble Pokémon in the Hisui region. Therefore, you want to make sure you prepare your Pokémon for the multiple trials ahead of them as if they were going to embark on various Gym Battles.

But you don’t have to worry about finding all of the Gym Locations in the game, as you did in previous iterations. Instead, Pokémon Legends primarily focuses on exploring and researching Pokémon in the wild, so survival in each area is your top priority.