As some players had speculated following the rapid-fire release of playable Pokémon in recent months, Pokémon UNITE has officially announced that it will shut down in the coming months. It will end service on Tuesday, March 23, 2027, at 00:00 UTC and sales of in-game premium currency and recurring memberships have already been suspended.
There is currently a Change.org petition asking Pokémon to save the game from shutdown, possibly by transferring the title to a new developer and publisher.
Post-shutdown “Library” feature
Players will be able to download “library data” that will allow them to view Pokémon and Holowear that they have collected after March 23. This data must be downloaded prior to the end of service and transferring the data to a new device is not supported.
Specifically, the Library mode will allow players to:
- View their collection of Pokémon Unite Licenses, License art and Holowear
- Battle in the single-player Practice Area to use Holowear in battle
- View item effects and animations
- View and change collected Trainer fashion items, update your Unite snapshot and view player records
Final events
For the final months of the game’s service, a big discount will be offered on Holowear so that players can spend any remaining premium Aeos gems.
In addition, Unite Coins will be given out as a login bonus and through special missions. These coins can be exchanged for Unite licenses, Holowear, Trainer fashion items, Unite snapshot items and other items. The rewards include returning items that fans may have previously missed.
Personal thoughts
This one hurts. Although I am a fan of multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games and had long wished for Pokémon to explore the genre, I didn’t love UNITE when it first came out. Battling wild Pokémon for energy and slam dunking it into goals just didn’t seem that exciting. It took awhile for me to come around, but after I did, I really enjoyed the roster of Pokémon, Holowear options and the various events.
Unfortunately, it seemed like the publisher and developer were always doing something to make the game a chore to play. From leveling up held items to collecting stat-affecting emblems to the disastrous License journey, it didn’t seem like they knew what to do with the game that they created.
It was also disappointing to see the many monetization methods the game used, often obfuscating the true cost of Holowear or trainer fashion items, to the detriment of players. I have already written about the disappointment of seeing Pokémon Holowear that cost more than some new games.
I truly hope that The Pokémon Company reconsiders its decision to shutter the game and saves it from Tencent’s recent withdrawal from the Japanese game market. It is the only Pokémon representation we have in the MOBA genre and made for exciting matches in a totally different style from any other Pokémon title.
Were you a UNITE player? Share some favorite memories of the game in the comments! Don’t forget to join our Pokémon forums and Discord server for more discussions!
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