Pokemon Unite is an upcoming MOBA game (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) that will pit iconic Pokemon against each other in a competition. The release date trailer for Pokemon Unite showed a lot of new and interesting details, but many fans are still uncertain about an important question: how much will it cost? On the one hand, Nintendo games such as these tend to run at full price, but on the other hand, other games in the MOBA genre are often free to play. For fans wondering how much it will cost to get in on the action on July 21st, look no further.
Players needing a reference for what to expect from Pokemon Unite should look to other popular MOBAs, particularly games like League of Legends or SMITE. It will likely be very similar but with a Pokemon twist on it, such as how characters can evolve and get stronger mid match.
To the relief of fans around the world, Pokemon Unite is free to download and play, and this applies to the Nintendo Switch version releasing on July 21st and the mobile version coming out later this year. There will be microtransactions within the game that allow players to get a wide variety of things, so all but the most stubborn of fans might expect to spend a few dollars here or there in order to unlock new items, characters, or comsetics. That said, it is possible to play and enjoy Pokemon Unite without spending a dime.
In terms of microtransactions, one of the primary purchases fans will want to make is the Pokemon Unite Battle Pass. This will allow players to earn rewards while playing the game. They can also buy gems with real money, which can in turn be used to buy many other kinds of currencies in the game. These will allow the player to unlock new playable Pokemon, buy held items for them that boost their stats for the duration of a match, or buy enhancement materials to increase the power of held items.
Whether or not the game will feel pay to win remains to be seen, but at a glance it seems that TiMi Studios is staying away from that. Players may be able to gain a minor advantage by paying to upgrade held items, but these can upgraded with currency found for free in the game too, albeit at a slower rate. As with most MOBA games like this, money will just ease the grind a bit.
Pokemon Unite releases on July 21st for Nintendo Switch and later this year for Mobile.