5vs5-moba Pokémon Unite will be released for Switch in July and for mobile in September
Pokémon Unite, the 5vs5 moba made by Chinese TiMi Studios, will be released for Nintendo Switch in July. The game is also coming to smartphones, with that version coming in September. The game is free-to-start and includes in-game purchases.
The game will have crossplay support and players will be able to take their progression from a Nintendo Switch to the mobile version and vice versa. Syncing is through a Pokémon Trainer Club account. Pokémon Unite is a moba, or a game from the multiplayer online battle arena genre, just like League of Legends and Dota 2. The game is set on the island of Aeos, where the Unite Battle Committee organizes the so-called Unite Battle tournaments. Aeos energy allows Pokémon to evolve during battle. This energy can be obtained by defeating wild and enemy Pokémon.
In each battle, the Pokémon used start at level 1, and as they battle they gain Experience Points, which allow them to level up. With that, they also learn new attacks and can evolve. At a certain level, the Pokémon also learn a Unite Move, a special powerful move.
The game will have several stadiums where the Unite Battles take place, each with its own rules. There will be game modes with different player numbers, longer or shorter matches and Legendary Pokémon are also added in this way.
Players can play ranked and then earn Performance Points. Everyone starts at the Beginner Cup and can make an effort to work their way up to the Master Cup. There will be a worldwide ranking showing the ranking of all players.
The game is free to play, but there are several optional in-game purchases, which can be purchased with real money, among other things. To do this, players must purchase Aeos gems. For example, they can be used to upgrade the Seasonal Battle Pass to earn more rewards.
The game also includes Aeos Coins, which can be earned through play. Those coins and the gems can be used to obtain Unite licenses, which allow Pokémon to be deployed in the Unite Battles. The virtual currencies can also be used to purchase various cosmetic items.
Pokémon Unite was announced last year. The game is commissioned by The Pokémon Company and made by TiMi Studios, a game studio of the Chinese tech giant Tencent. TiMi is behind numerous mobile successes, such as Call of Duty: Mobile, Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor. Those are all free games with microtransactions. TiMi Studios reportedly had a turnover of $10 billion last year.