Pokémon UNITE will shut down on 23 March 2027

[Murky Stephen]

Pokémon UNITE is coming to an end. Gematsu reports that The Pokémon Company and TiMi Studio Group will end service for the free to play battle arena game on Switch and mobile on 23 March 2027

After shutdown, players will no longer be able to log in or play. Sales of Aeos gems, the game's premium currency, were suspended on 27 October, although existing gems can still be spent until the end. New UNITE Club memberships and automatic renewals have also stopped, with current members keeping their benefits until their period runs out

A special event and update on 12 November will let players get items such as Unite licences and Holowear. A library feature will let players view some of their records and content after the shutdown, but only if they download the library data before the end date, and it generally cannot be moved between devices

The Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo tournament will still go ahead, with qualifiers starting on 5 December. The game launched on Switch in July 2021 and on mobile in September 2021. No refunds have been mentioned

It is sad news for a game that built a loyal competitive community. Live service games always face this risk once player numbers drop. The library feature is a thoughtful touch, but many players will still feel they are losing something they invested in

Did you play Pokémon UNITE? And should live service games offer an offline mode when they shut down?

Pokemon Unite To End Service On March 23 2027www.gematsu.com