The free-to-play 'MOBA' will feature 5-vs-5 real-time Pokemon battles.
In a new Pokemon Presents video presentation, The Pokemon Company revealed Pokemon Unite, a multiplayer online battle area game (MOBA) set in the Pokemon universe. The game is being created in partnership with Tencent Games’ TiMi Studios.
In Pokemon Unite, two teams of five players will compete against each other in real-time battles with the goal of earning the most points in each timed match.
The game allows each player to become a single Pokemon, like Pikachu or Charmander, during each match. Once the match begins, players can work to defeat and capture wild Pokemon that wander around the field. They can earn points by dropping off those captured Pokemon in one of the opponent’s scoring zones. Of course, the opposing team will also have the same goal, and players can attack each other to try and prevent the opposing team from scoring points.
When a player’s Pokemon is knocked out, they can rejoin the battle after a few seconds.
As a match progresses, players will earn experience points and their chosen Pokemon can eventually evolve. However, each Pokemon will start back over at Level 1 at the beginning of a new match.
Unlike other Pokemon games, the Pokemon in Pokemon Unite won’t have type advantages or disadvantages against other pocket monsters. That is, while Water-type Pokemon are typically stronger against Fire-type Pokemon by default, this sort of bonus won’t apply here. Instead, each Pokemon will have access to different moves and abilities, which can help players decide which Pokemon to choose.
Check out the video above to learn more about Pokemon Unite, and see some sample gameplay.
Pokemon Unite is coming to Switch and mobile devices. The game will be free-to-play, but The Pokemon Company didn’t reveal how players will be able to spend money in the game. In addition, no official release date or release window was announced.
Keep checking back with SuperParent, as we’ll bring you more details about Pokemon Unite as they’re released.
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
