How much does buying everything you need cost in Pokemon Unite?

Steven Rondina Published 31/07/2021

Pokemon Unite is a pay-to-win game. That’s disappointing for many, but it’s unlikely to change. With that established, the question becomes how much players actually need to pay in order to get everything they need to reach the top of the game.

This technically has different answers depending on the player’s habits, but crunching the numbers is worth doing for those who want to power up in Pokemon Unite on a tighter budget. Here’s how much money it costs to buy everything you need to rank up in Pokemon Unite.

How much does it cost to level Held Items up to max in Pokemon Unite?

Pokemon Unite has a pay-to-win component through its Held Items. Players can equip up to three Hold Items at a time that offer various stat boosts such as bonus HP regeneration or movement speed outside combat. These items can be leveled up to level 30, with a level 30 Held Item being roughly twice as potent as a level one Held Item of the same kind.

The Held Item system allows Pokémon to improve their stats in a Unite Battle! With the ability to hold up to three held items, you can create combinations that complement your playstyle and strengths! #PokemonUNITE pic.twitter.com/FcBRkFgl8k
— Pokémon UNITE (@PokemonUnite) July 19, 2021

Item Enhancers can be purchased through the store using 10 Aeos Tickets or Aeos Gem. It takes an astounding 2,587 Item Enhancers to max out a single Held Item, making it almost required to spend money in order to be statistically on par with opponents willing to spend big.

Purchasing this many Item Enhancers outright costs approximately $40, and since Pokemon can hold three of these items at a time, a fully kitted Pokemon would cost $120.

But of course, that’s only one Pokemon. Not all Held Items are useful on every Pokemon Every other Held Item has a similar price tag, and there are a total of 16 Held Items. Leveling all of them up to the max would cost $640.

How much do all the Pokemon Licenses cost in Pokemon Unite?

Alongside this, not all playable characters are available instantly as they are in some MOBA games. Players need to purchase Pokemon with anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000 Aeos Coins, which can be obtained over time by playing the game, or with Aeos Gems, which are available in exchange for real cash.

Purchasing every Pokemon License available at this time would cost 9,085 Aeos Gems. Players do obtain one license from a pool of options for free by completing the tutorials, knocking the number of gems down to 8,740. It’s also fairly easy to grind out a few more Pokemon Unite licenses, with regular play making some available after just a few days.

Still, players that want to have all licenses instantly available are looking at a large bill. It costs approximately $110 to outright purchase every Pokemon License in Pokemon Unite, with that price set to go up over time as more licenses are added for new Pokemon.

How much does Pokemon Unite cost?

Pokemon Unite is technically a free-to-play game, but a lot of the gameplay is hidden behind a paywall. Buying all the Pokemon Licenses and maxing out all available Held Items would cost approximately $750. This doesn’t count skins or other cosmetic items.

your micro skill is no match for their micro transactions in #PokemonUnite pic.twitter.com/LOGMDmmMAK
— beastcoast (@beastcoast) July 24, 2021

Worth noting is that this price tag can be lowered significantly by simply playing the game. Players can earn Aeos Coins to buy Pokemon Licences and Aeos Tickets to buy Item Enhancers by leveling up their battle pass, completing daily challenges, and increasing their profile rank. Any level of regular play will shave hundreds of dollars off the overall price tag.

Even with that, players are looking at a very steep price tag in order to get the complete Pokemon Unite experience.

Catch up with our Pokemon Unite coverage:

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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