Announced back in mid-2020, Pokemon Unite has been a much-anticipated game by fans of the long-running franchise and gamers alike. The upcoming 5 vs 5 MOBA game is a new entry to this genre and a spin-off title set in the Pokemon universe. If you are curious to know everything about Pokemon Unite, we have compiled an in-depth guide just for you today. So start reading up to get all the details, including Pokemon Unite’s release date, the League of Legends-like gameplay, beta release, price, and much more.

Thanks to a recent cinematic trailer and an upcoming beta test, the hype surrounding Pokemon Unite has been further elevated. If you are a long-time fan of the Pokemon universe, dive right in to learn everything there is to know about the upcoming MOBA title.

  • What is Pokemon Unite?
  • What’s the Gameplay Like
  • Pokemon Unite Arena/ Maps
  • List of Playable Characters in Pokemon Unite
  • Pokemon Unite: Platforms and Release Date
  • Is Pokemon Unite Online Multiplayer or Offline?
  • Will Pokemon Unite Support Crossplay?
  • Is Pokemon Unite Available on PC?
  • Is Pokemon Unite Free to Play?
  • Pokemon Unite Battle Pass: What It Has to Offer?
  • Pokemon Unite Beta Test: Play the MOBA Game Before Release

What is Pokemon Unite?

Pokemon Unite is an upcoming 5 vs 5 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game. Set in the Pokemon universe, the game has been developed by The Pokemon Company and Tencent’s TiMi studios. The latter is known for its several popular mobile games, such as Call of Duty: Mobile and Arena of Valor.

Pokemon Unite is based on a similar concept and will involve two teams of five players each. The primary aim of the game is for teams to score the most points. The fights will be held in various maps, each containing its own unique design. The battles will see many popular Pokemon (full list below) going up against each other to get the most points and win. There will be a set time limit for each match, and you will need to play along with your team to take the fight to the enemy.

If you have ever played League of Legends, you will be familiar with some aspects of this game. However, here’s exactly what to expect going into battle in Pokemon Unite.

The Basics

Before the fight, each player starts with a single Pokemon that they can choose. Each Pokemon has its own strengths and weaknesses. You then get to choose what moves your Pokemon has and will learn them as the battle progresses. The Pokemon in Unite won’t have type effectiveness but are divided into various roles depending on their traits. These roles are Attacker, Speedster, All-Rounder, Defender, and Supporter.

Pokemon Moves and Evolution

Each Pokemon will have a total of seven moves but can only use four at a time. These moves will include a basic attack and three learnable moves. Pokemon can learn moves by leveling/ evolving and defeating other Pokemon. Apart from enemy Pokemon, there will be wild Pokemon that players can defeat to earn points and EXP.

You can choose what moves your Pokemon learns once they level up. You can make your own move set that can focus on close-range or long-range attacks. Image Courtesy: The Pokemon Company

Scoring System

As explained by Nintendo, the way to win a Pokemon Unite battle is to score more points than the opposite team. Unlike other MOBA games like LOL, you don’t need to destroy the enemy base to score points. Here’s how to score points and win in Pokemon Unite.

Pokemons you encounter in the game will have Aeos energy (points) assigned to them, denoted by a small blue icon above them. You can defeat a wild Pokemon or steal points from the enemy Pokemon. So make sure to aim for the Pokemon with the most points to score more points in the stipulated time. Image Courtesy: The Pokemon Company

The points you have collected will not count unless you take them to the opponent’s Goal Zone. You do that by heading into enemy lines and waiting inside the goal zone (five on each end, more on this below) until the meter fills up.

The more points you have collected, the longer you will need to wait in the goal zone to deposit them. Be on the lookout, though, as lurking opponents may try to take you down and stop you from depositing points. Image Courtesy: The Pokemon Company

Your Goal Zones also serve as healing areas where your team’s Pokemons can go to gain HP if they are low on health. The enemy can do the same on their side of the arena. So once you are sure you have gained enough points, try to destroy the enemy’s zones to prevent them from healing up. Doing so could give you a huge advantage in winning your Pokemon Unite battle.

The Boss Pokemon is a special wild Pokemon that sits in the top lane of the map. With the help of your team, you can capture and defeat it. A defeated boss Pokemon will join your side and head to the opponent’s base to help defeat the enemy. However, be aware that the boss takes around 4-6 minutes to spawn into the game, but the duration might vary when the game goes live. You will know when a Boss Pokemon spawns as the map will glow yellow and a countdown still start.

From what we know right now, the boss Pokemon list includes Rotom, Drednaw, Zapdos, Electrode, and Articuno, among others depending on the map. Go ahead and check out the latest cinematic trailer for Pokemon Unite right here:

Pokemon Unite Arena/ Maps

The basic map layout in Pokemon Unite will see the map being divided into two sections between your side and the enemies. The maps will have a top and bottom lane through which players can send their Pokemon. The lanes will be further connected through three vertical lanes for easier navigation. The maps will feature bushes where players can hide and wait for a surprise attack. Players will also have a small minimap on the upper-left corner to quickly glance at the information.

There are a number of maps coming to Pokemon Unite. The map you see above was seen in the recently released cinematic trailer. However, other maps revealed in trailers include Shivre City, which reportedly only has one goal zone, Zefio Park (Japanese name), and another unnamed map. Expect to see these and more when the game releases. Image Courtesy: The Pokemon Company

Wondering what all playable characters will be available in Pokemon Unite? Nintendo is yet to officially confirm all the Pokemon you will be able to play, but it lists some of them on its official website. Plus, we also spotted some Pokemon in the trailers released over the past year.

Pokemon Unite: Platforms and Release Date

Wondering if Pokemon Unite is out yet? Want to know when will Pokemon Unite officially release in your region? Well, we have the answer to your questions.

Pokemon Unite will release in July 2021 for Nintendo Switch. Yeah, this anticipated MOBA game will officially go live next month. The game will launch on iOS and Android devices in September 2021. The exact release dates are yet to be confirmed. So stay tuned as we will update this article with more information once it’s available.

Many of you might be curious whether Pokemon Unite will be available to play offline, or will it have online multiplayer support? Well, Pokemon Unite is a real-time, 5 vs 5 team-based strategy game for Nintendo Switch and mobile (Android and iOS). That means the game will only support online multiplayer and not be accessible offline.

Yes! In a recent press release, The Pokemon Company announced that Pokemon Unite supports crossplay between Nintendo Switch and mobile devices so players can battle together. Further, players can sync their progress between the devices (Switch, Android, or iOS) through their Pokemon Trainer Club account.

Unfortunately, there is currently no word about Pokemon Unite coming to PC when it launches. However, if the MOBA game garners enough popularity, and believe us, it’s already happening, then a PC release is likely.

Wondering how much Pokemon Unite will cost? What’s the price to play this upcoming MOBA title? Well, Pokemon Unite will be a free-to-start game. However, there are microtransactions involved as some items will be locked until you purchase them with in-game currencies.

You can purchase and unlock items like more held items, battle items, battle passes for cosmetic upgrades, and much more. There are potentially three types of currencies in Pokemon Unite.

Pokemon Unite players can get Aeos coins by winning matches. You can also earn coins by completing additional tasks such as undergoing more battles, finishing tutorials, participating in events, etc. You might be able to purchase Aeos coins too. We will know more once the game launches next month.

As the name suggests, Fashion tickets will be used to purchase holowear clothes for the trainer and some skins for the Pokemon itself. You can earn Fashion tickets by purchasing certain Pokemon skins from the in-game shop. However, be aware that any of the skins bought using Fashion tickets are purely cosmetic and do not give any additional in-game advantage.

As per an earlier beta test, Gems appear to be the premium currency in Pokemon Unite. Players can use gems to purchase the Battle Pass to unlock cosmetic items for their Pokemon and trainer.

Much like other games, the Battle Pass is a paid offering that will unlock various items and cosmetic skins in Pokemon Unite. The items included are divided into various levels that players must reach before they can unlock them.

Pokemon Unite’s battle pass consists of 50 levels that each contain their own items. Progress to higher levels and keep unlocking cosmetics, in-game currency, and more. You can level up by completing daily and weekly challenges.

Well, yes. If you live in Japan and have a Nintendo Switch console, you can participate in the Pokemon Unite beta this week from 24th to 26th June. You don’t require a Nintendo Online membership to access it. To our knowledge, there is no beta available for other countries right now.