Pokemon Unite has brought together two types of gamers: the ones who grew up on Pokemon and those who are avid MOBA players. The 5v5 online battle arena title features over 60 playable Pokemon that trainers need to use to work with others and score the most points against the opposing team. Pokemon Unite is a unique take on the MOBA genre, and just like other titles, it’s also taking steps to elevate players’ experiences.
Pokemon Unite has organized various in-game events and content drops, like the upcoming launch of Tinkaton and holiday-themed Holowear just in time for Christmas. At this point, it’s only a matter of time before the battle arena title comes out with a new game mode, and a recent rumor could be a cool look at what’s to come.
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Pokemon Unite Faces its Own Version of a Pokemon GO Problem
Pokemon Unite has been a surprise hit that isn’t slowing down anytime soon, but as it keeps growing, it will soon face a very familiar problem.
Pokemon Unite Could Be Taking the Same Route as League of Legends
As mentioned, Pokemon Unite takes some notes from popular MOBA titles like League of Legends and Dota 2 in terms of its gameplay. The similarities might not stop there, as a leaked screenshot from Centro Leaks revealed that Pokemon Unite might add an auto battler. Although the leaked photo reportedly comes from Pokemon Unite China, it could still roll out in other regions.
- Pokemon shown in the auto battler leak: Snorlax, Pikachu, Wigglytuff, Venusaur, and Charmeleon
An auto battler is essentially a strategy game where players choose characters that will engage in automatic combat against seven other players. In each round, players have to fortify their teams by leveling up characters, synergizing the right traits, and equipping the right items, so they can reach the top four spots. Auto battlers also teach players about economy management to save coins to roll down for units, and choose the right upgrades to maximize their power. Teamfight Tactics is one of the most popular auto battlers today, featuring existing League of Legends champions and items. It also changes things with themed sets that introduce new mechanics and traits to keep the game fresh.
For decades, Pokemon games have emphasized building the right lineups before facing other trainers and Gym Leaders. Pokemon Unite definitely takes this aspect up a notch with its team-based gameplay, and possibly adding an auto battler is a natural progression for the title because it would allow players to build teams in a brand-new way. It would be a great opportunity to study how certain elements and types will work well together against other Pokemon.
In terms of items and upgrades, perhaps it could take some inspiration from Pokemon TCG‘s Item and Trainer cards. Since the majority of Pokemon don’t use weapons, it would make sense to utilize items like potions and biscuits to increase units’ power, and stones and candies for Pokemon evolution. Poke Balls could also help in finding Pokemon that players need to complete their team compositions.
The question now is whether Pokemon Unite‘s rumored auto battler will be available in the current game or if developer TiMi Studio will create a separate application for it. For example, Teamfight Tactics can be accessed via the League of Legends client on the PC, and it also has a separate app on mobile for more accessible and optimized gameplay.
The beauty of auto battlers is that they can bring in new players, especially non-MOBA fans, to a game. While this game mode does take a lot of skills to master, it’s not as intense as a MOBA match. If the rumors are true, Pokemon Unite could be sitting on a goldmine with an auto battler of its own. Hopefully, the rumored auto battler will be available in more regions and not just limited to China.
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