Pokémon Unite Esports – Is the MOBA the next competitive game?

Mobile Games
August 6, 2021
Jordan Ashley

Pokémon Unite is the latest release in the popular series, but this spin-off game has a few differences. For starters, it’s a MOBA. This is the first game of its type to come to the Pokémon franchise and it marks a pretty big departure from previous games. Aside from the change to its genre, it is the first with serious and focused attention for esports.

Pokémon Unite is a MOBA game, but one made with a competitive focus. The title has only just launched, while there are a few issues Pokémon Unite esports could become a lively scene.

Pokemon Unite

Pokémon Unite’s Gameplay and Problems at Launch

Pokémon Unite at launch already looks like a pretty well-rounded game, if one with some clear problems. For a start, the title has a degree of microtransactions and monetization which would make even most other freemium games blush. This is an irritation and it’s especially annoying for its primary audience; Nintendo and Pokémon fans. Microtransactions aren’t very common in these titles, outside of some weird experiments like Mario Kart Mobile.

In terms of actual gameplay, Pokémon Unite hasn’t really surprised but it has been fun. It is a MOBA. It recreates that MOBA experience that you’ve found elsewhere, but with a Pokémon twist. The game is going to feel extremely familiar to other MOBAs, but with Pokémon thrown into the mix.

While this might not sound the most inspiring, it has been well received and is fun to play. The MOBA format isn’t really in need of any major changes. This Pokémon version fits the bill perfectly fine, and MOBA players are going to find it simple to move from existing games to Pokémon Unite. It might not be the most engrossing single-player Pokémon experience, but Pokémon Unite esports look promising.

Pokémon Unite Esports

Pokémon Unite is a new MOBA launched for mobile by Tencent, a company with a lot of history in mobile esports. They’re responsible for a good deal of the major esports mobiles games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty mobile, including some with big esports betting scenes too. Pokémon Unite is pretty clear on release as a great candidate for future esports events. The game is perfectly laid out for a competitive scene, with a great style of MOBA gameplay. Skilled players can already get rewarded from the Ranked mode and compete to get into the top percentage of players.

First updates are going to be bringing a spectator mode into the game, enabling all sorts of shoutcasting potential. This is great for players to watch their friends. However, it will also function well for Ranked games between players. This soon after launch Pokémon Unite is already getting a few features that can help foster esports.

The audience for Pokémon Unite esports is naturally going to be different from mobile MOBAs like Wild Rift. Pokémon has a huge in-built audience. Fans already spend hours to selectively breed their Pokémon to get the right stats. Fans with such dedication to the franchise are going to provide a good entry point for Pokémon Unite esports. While the game is a bit too early to get a tournament just yet, this is definitely an area to watch in the future.  Tencent has a great track record in helping tournaments for their games, players have a chance to jump in at the ground floor with this game.

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