Pokémon Unite
Image: The Pokémon Company

The free-to-play Switch and mobile title Pokémon Unite has received countless updates since it arrived in 2021, but official support for the competitive MOBA isn’t looking quite as strong this week based on the latest announcement.

In a new update on the game’s website, The Pokémon Company has announced it will be dropping Unite from the Pokémon World Championships in 2027. It will instead opt for a separate tournament in Tokyo:

Pokémon UNITE Championship Series Update

We have decided that Pokémon UNITE will not be part of the 2027 Pokémon World Championships and will instead hold a separate tournament, Pokémon UNITE Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo.

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The schedule is as follows:

• Regional Qualifiers

  • Dates: Starting November 2026 (tentative)
  • Target regions: All regions worldwide
  • We will publish details of the eligible regions at a later date
  • Format: Online, with a unified regulation for all regions
  • Tournament prize: Yes

• Final tournament

  • Date: Late March 2027 (tentative)
  • Location: Tokyo, Japan
  • Format: Offline
  • Number of participating teams: Up to 32 teams
  • We will invite all teams that won their respective Regional Qualifier to Tokyo, with Travel Awards included
  • Tournament prize: Yes

We will announce the detailed schedule of each Regional Qualifier and the tournament regulations as soon as they are finalized.

This means the final Pokémon World Championships event for Unite will take place in San Francisco, California in August.

Pokémon Unite has now been active for five years and has been expanded with new playable Pokémon, maps, modes, and is also accessible on the Switch 2. We’ll be on the lookout for any significant updates or developments regarding the future of this game.