Free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) title Pokémon Unite is celebrating its first anniversary with a suite of new updates.
New Pokémon, features, events, and campaigns are coming to the title. One of these events is the Pika Party quick battle, which as the name implies is a game mode that has all Pokémon on the field as Pikachu. This event runs from August 3 5PM PDT / August 4 1AM BST to September 1 4:59PM PDT / September 2 12:59AM BST.
Ultra Beast Buzzwole is also being added to the game on August 3 5PM PDT / August 4 1AM BST, and is described as an “all-rounder that can grapple opposing Pokémon and launch them into the air”. Buzzwole also has the ability Beast Boost, which temporarily increases its “movement speed and basic attack speed each time it knocks out an opposing Pokémon”.
Buzzwole and Pika Party join #PokemonUNITE at 5:00pm PT today, 8/3! #UNITE1st pic.twitter.com/KObU5LPjWq
— Pokémon UNITE (@PokemonUnite) August 3, 2022
Holowear and Unite Licenses for Pikachu, Lucario, Blastoise, Sylveon and Snorlax have also been gifted to players.
Additionally, there is a limited-time Boss Rush mode that’s available to play at different dates. It’s currently available now until August 8 00:59 BST, with the third available time slot being between August 15 1AM BST to August 22 00:50AM BST.
The Unite update teases that the first anniversary is “just the start of what’s to come in Pokémon Unite”, with a total of six new Pokémon, including the recently added Glaceon, Tyranitar (which is coming August 15) and Buzzwole being added to the game, and the second batch of unrevealed creatures starting to roll out in September. This will bring the overall roster up to a respectable 42 ‘mons.
Pokémon Unite has been a smash hit for developer TiMi Studio Group, surpassing a massive 70million downloads across Switch and mobile in April.