Pokemon Unite release date announced with Zeraora promotion

After a rocky reveal fans are finally starting to get excited about the upcoming Pokemon-themed MOBA, Pokemon Unite.

The anticipation won’t be lasting much longer though, as a release date has been officially revealed on the game’s official Twitter account.

Pokemon Unite will launch worldwide on the Nintendo Switch on July 21, 2021.

“Get ready for Pokémon to heat up your summer with the July 21 release of Pokémon UNITE on Nintendo Switch. Offering a new kind of Pokémon battle, this strategic team battle game gives players the opportunity to compete in 5-on-5 team battles,” The Pokemon Company said in a statement.

• Here’s a full explainer of Pokemon Unite

Pokemon Unite is a MOBA created by League of Legends parent company Tencent in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokemon Company International. Players roam a field playing as a Pokemon and need to battle both the enemy team and wild Pokemon. The game tasks two teams of five with capturing as many Pokemon as possible. 

The title generated a bit of controversy when it was first revealed as players were expecting the reveal of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Instead, players were treated to something completely different.

Despite that, the game has generated a bit of hype as players are excited for what looks to be an interesting take on the MOBA genre. The game will launch on Nintendo Switch next week and on mobile devices later this year.

Zeraora announced as sign-in bonus for Pokemon Unite

To commemorate the launch of Pokemon Unite, players will be able to get a bonus playable character if they sign in before the end of August. That bonus character is mythical Pokemon Zeraora.

Zeraora is a pure electric type that was introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon. Fittingly, Zeraora was also part of a launch bonus for Pokemon HOME on mobile platforms and Nintendo Switch, with players able to obtain a free shiny Zeraora in Pokemon HOME after completing a special Max Raid battle in Pokemon Sword and Shield. As with most other mythical Pokemon, Zeraora is fairly rare and has only been obtainable by participation in certain events to this point.

It is also worth noting that Zeraora is the only “rare” Pokemon available as a playable character in Pokemon Unite. The only playable characters revealed to this point have been standard Pokemon such as Pikachu, Venusaur, and Garchomp.

The inclusion of Zeraora also likely confirms that new playable Pokemon will need to be purchased separately as the statement notes that players will receive the “Unite License” of Zeraora.