Summary

  • Pokemon Unite offers a unique blend of Pokemon and MOBA gameplay that has surprised fans with its success.
  • With a growing roster of 65 monsters, the game may soon face the challenge of how many characters are too many.
  • Unlike Pokemon GO, Pokemon Unite doesn't necessarily need a full Pokedex, and the roster may need to start closing.

Pokemon Unite is one of the more unusual Pokemon spin-off titles, bringing the franchise into the fight for MOBA supremacy. However, as Pokemon Unite grows, it may soon face an issue that Pokemon GO fans are all too familiar with.

Just over three years old, Pokemon Unite has been steadily growing both its player base and its roster ever since its release. Initially, many fans saw the blending of Pokemon with the MOBA genre as an unusual pairing, but it works surprisingly well. With plenty of fan-favorite Pokemon in the roster and familiar held items to boost their stats, the jump to a new style of game was easier than players expected. As the game has grown, so too has that roster, now including 65 total monsters. But, just like Pokemon GO before it, the development team is beginning to face the issue of how many critters it’s able to add and needs to decide if adding all 1,025 is the best idea.

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The Unfortunate Similarities Between Pokemon Unite and Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO took the world by storm when it first released in 2016, and has since found a loyal and devoted player base. The idea was simple enough at first, offering players the chance to catch all of the original 151 Pokemon, but as the tagline goes, players wanted to catch ‘em all. So, over time, the game has been in the process of adding all 1,025 Pokemon. The Pokedex in Pokemon GO still isn’t complete, but the dedication Niantic has shown to fans by the attempt to include them all is staggering. Three years after the release of Pokemon Unite, TiMi Studio Group is starting to face the question of how many Pokemon are enough in its own game.

Pokemon Unite May Be Headed Toward Too Big of a Roster

At launch, Pokemon Unite included 20 playable creatures, a respectable number that offered plenty of different team combinations. As a MOBA that was designed for casual and hardcore gamers alike, it’s reasonable that the roster began in the lower double digits. But since then, Pokemon Unite has become one of the best MOBAs for casual players, offering a somewhat simplified version of the gameplay in the more traditional MOBA titles. With the game gaining popularity, its roster started to grow, adding all kinds of mons and giving players a better chance at finding a build that was just right for them. The problem begins when considering the average size of a MOBA roster.

Games like Smite and League of Legends feature rosters of well over 100 characters. As a lighter version of the genre, Pokemon Unite needs to start considering how many characters would be too many for its game. To mark its 3rd anniversary, Pokemon Unite recently added its 65th playable Pokemon, Ho-oh. By now, the game includes mons that players would expect to find, such as Charizard and Gardevior, as well as a few oddball picks like Eldegoss and Comfey. This is part of what gives the game its charm, but it's time for TiMi Studio Group to begin thinking about how unusual it can afford to make its picks.

Unlike Pokemon GO, most players wouldn’t expect a full Pokedex in Pokemon Unite, which is probably the best idea. After all, plenty of Pokemon just don’t fit the MOBA style. It’s difficult to imagine the likes of Klinklang or Unown floating down the lanes into battle. Although some fans might be upset if their favorite critter is snubbed, it might be time for the roster to begin closing. Both games have become some of the best Pokemon games for mobile players, but that doesn’t mean they need the same growth strategy. In fact, Pokemon Unite may be better off avoiding going all in.

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Pokémon Unite
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Released
July 21, 2021
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Developer(s)
TiMi Studios
Publisher(s)
The Pokemon Company
Franchise
Pokemon
Platform(s)
Mobile, Nintendo Switch
Genre(s)
MOBA
How Long To Beat
19 Hours
Platforms That Support Crossplay
Mobile & Switch