Pokemon Unite was just released today, but it already appears to be a massive hit on Twitch. There have been plenty of unique Pokemon spin-offs, but this is the first time Pokemon has taken a stab at the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena genre, as the series usually focuses on the genre of RPGs. Pokemon fans appear to be interested in MOBAs, as Pokemon Unite currently sits at the fourth-highest game on Twitch in terms of views.

Pokemon Unite was first announced in June of 2020, and it came with a mix of skepticism and intrigue--often the case with Pokemon reveals. However, as the game's release date approached, the community's curiosity about a Pokemon MOBA appeared to rise each day. The game pits two teams of five against one another and there are up to twenty Pokemon that can be unlocked. Now that the game is in the wild, Pokemon Unite has burst onto the streaming scene in a big way, which could possibly indicate long-term success.

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According to TwitchTracker, the free-to-play Pokemon Unite MOBA already has peaked at 225,405 Twitch viewers in its first 24 hours. At the time of writing this article and capturing the information, there are 113,351 viewers watching Twitch content of Pokemon Unite. Some of those numbers could dip significantly--as it could be chalked up to simple curiosity--but those are numbers to get excited about. Right now, the only games ahead of Pokemon Unite are Grand Theft Auto 5, New World, and League of Legends. 

pokemon unite twitch stats

The great view counts are also good for Nintendo as a whole, which only recently announced the newest model of the Nintendo Switch. Currently, Pokemon Unite is a Switch exclusive, although the game is set to release on mobile at a later date. Nintendo Switch games often sell very well, but they do not always perform well on Twitch in terms of staying on top of the most viewed games list. Perhaps it found itself a decent Twitch hit with Pokemon Unite.

Along with checking in on Pokemon Unite for curiosity's sake, or to learn how to play Pokemon Unite, MOBAs often do well on streaming platforms because they can be so competitive. Time will tell if this Pokemon MOBA was designed well enough to last the long haul in terms of replayability, competitiveness, and even some semblance of an esports scene. The game could do well on Twitch if fans want to tune in regularly for tips and tricks from pro players.

Pokemon Unite is available now for Switch and later for mobile.

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Source: TwitchTracker