Pokemon Goes eSports: Collaboration With Tencent Brings ‘Pokemon Unite’ To Players

For diehard-fans waiting for the latest Pokemon reveal, “Pokemon Unite” may be a let-down, but for others, there’s a chance for it to grow. The game is being developed by Tencent-owned TiMi Studios and is a real-time, team-based strategy game in the same fashion as “Honor of Kings” and “Call of Duty: Mobile.”

According to The Verge, at first glance at the map, players may get reminded of MOBAs like “League of Legends” and mobile copycat “Mobile Legends.” Teams of five are pitted against another team of a similar number, each one leveling up over the course of the match as they complete objectives while keeping the other team at bay. The game will be available on a free-to-start basis on mobile phones as well as the Nintendo Switch.

The crossplay availability could’ve done nothing for the impending hate it received online. According to IGN, users looking for a different game to be announced peppered the Pokemon Presents broadcast on YouTube with 170,000 dislikes in just 24 hours. Players voiced out their dislike of the format, where they earn abilities as part of a team, fighting for control of the top-down battle arena.

The vitriol doesn’t stop there. The channel released a second video, a standalone trailer showing further details of the game. The fans have let their voices be heard once again to the tune of 55,000 dislikes. Both videos showed that there are more dislikes than likes. It’s not a clear indication of fan reaction, as there are those who might’ve liked the format instead – but it did nothing to stop “Unite’s” videos to trend.

As for the Johto setting, that was perhaps what fans were looking for when they thought something big was following last week’s announcement of a new “Pokemon Snap” game, coming to the Nintendo Switch. A reveal of the Johto region’s current-gen remake was hyped by sleuths who followed Pokemon President Tsunekazu Ishihara’s announcement of “Snap.” As it turned out, it was all just hype.

“Pokemon Unite” will be available on mobile devices and Nintendo Switch, and features cross-play availability during multiplayer battles across both devices.