Pokemon Unite has built a solid playerbase quickly. On top of this, it has been doing well at consistently adding new Pokemon for players to use despite only being about a month old. This type of rapid release is great for the time being, but Pokemon Unite still has to keep some things in mind for the future.
Sylveon and Mamoswine have been confirmed as future additions to Pokemon Unite, and there is going to be a lot riding on the former. Pokemon fans tend to love the Eeveelutions; the diverse list of mono-type evolutions for Eevee are often adorable and functional for even competitive Pokemon battles. As a result, each one has a dedicated set of fans going out of their way to obtain them across several generations of games. Pokemon Unite should keep this in mind when working on more additions down the line.
A Rainbow of Eeveelutions
Fanbases around each Eeveelution will bring a new layer of pressure when Sylveon releases. The game can’t add just one or two of the many Eeveelutions. The safest best for Pokemon Unite is to add all the Eeveelutions across future updates.
However, timing is important to consider for the addition of other Eeveelutions. Fans of Pokemon Unite have aired their frustrations before, as it took the game longer than expected to add in Blastoise despite Charizard and Venusaur being there at launch. While Blastoise has been given a release date, it felt odd to have two of Pokemon’s original three starters but not the third. Eeveelutions could result in a similar community response if too much time separates each Pokemon’s release.
After Sylveon there are still seven other Pokemon to choose from and they could be spread out fairly well. With Blissey recent coming to Unite and plans to add more Pokemon soon, it might not be a bad idea to keep the Eeveelutions as a flexible option across several months. This approach would not only provide a substantial increase to the current options on Pokemon Unite’s roster, but it also provides a roadmap for consistent updates.
This makes leveraging special events and holidays for Eeveelutions important when looking toward Pokemon Unite’s future. Several of the Pokemon could match up nicely with different times of the year without feeling like their additions are being rushed or too spaced out.
Potential Pokemon Unite Special Events
Right now, the game seems to add a new Pokemon with a calendar spread that is leaning closer to every two weeks or so. This could mean Blastoise and Mamoswine release in September, followed by Sylveon in October. In this theoretical timescale there’s no suspected second October, release making it a great time to introduce Espeon or Umbreon. The respective Psychic and Dark-type Pokemon have some spooky vibes, and could be well received if released with themed Holowear.
A late October release of Espeon or Umbreon would also allow for November to be absent from the addition of another Eeveelution, but the developer could still keep December wide open. While not everyone celebrates a holiday like Christmas, around this time there is also the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. A themed winter event could coincide with the release of a couple Ice-type Pokemon for Pokemon Unite, including Glaceon.
Similar events and dates could then be set up for the future releases of other Eeveelutions. This makes spring an easy option for Leafeon and summer a great time for Vaporeon or Flareon, with beach-themed Holowear accompanying them. Leaning into events like this is also a way for Pokemon Unite to address some changes the game needs to make. The method allows the game to flesh out its roster, offer more cosmetics, and keep up with fan expectations in the long term, all of which will be important as it grows.
Pokemon Unite is available now on Nintendo Switch, and will launch for mobile devices on September 22.