The Pokémon video game franchise is continuing to grow, with Pokémon UNITE finally getting a release date. Announced as part of a Pokémon event last summer, the game will soon be hitting the Nintendo Switch before coming to smartphones later this year. As a multiplayer online battle arena title, UNITE will push the franchise into a new genre and potentially to new heights also.
Despite this potential, there is some question of where even one of gaming's most venerable franchises will fit into the somewhat overcrowded MOBA genre. Though questions of its success make sense, Pokémon UNITE can still break out by combining fun gameplay with mobile accessibility and the astronomical popularity of the franchise.
What Is a MOBA and Why Is the Genre Crowded?
MOBAs have been around as a genre for decades now, though they weren't always the most mainstream of video games. These titles feature a player's single character or team of characters traversing a map to destroy the enemy's base or structure. The player will usually have all manner of weapons or special attacks at their disposal to accomplish this goal, though the enemy will as well.
The biggest names in the genre initially were Starcraft and the Warcraft III mod Defense of the Ancients, which both established the genre's gameplay expectations and tropes. Starcraft in particular has become an eSports phenomenon, and its success in this circuit is what the genre as a whole's rise can be attributed to. This has led to new titles such as League of Legends, Smite and Heroes of the Storm all become mega-hits. Needless to say, the MOBA genre is bigger than ever, though this might suggest that any new title in the genre will have an uphill battle in gaining success.
Why Pokémon UNITE Can Still Be a Hit
Despite its stiff competition, Pokémon UNITE can still easily succeed due to its name alone. The Game Freak franchise is still as popular as ever, and it's currently experiencing a bit of a gaming renaissance. There are several planned games in the pipeline revolving around the Sinnoh region, namely an open-world title that's potentially everything fans have always wanted. There's also New Pokémon Snap, which was very well-received and a sales juggernaut in Japan. This renewed interest will automatically bring more eyes to the already beloved franchise and its current offerings like UNITE.
The success of Snap in particular shows that slapping the Pokémon name on an at least decent title will bring in sales. Another example of this is Pokkén Tournament, which was a similar sales success. This is all to say nothing of the immense boon that is Pokémon Go, which still has a multitude of users. By having a game with the franchise's trappings and gameplay elements that at least somewhat resemble what people remember from Pokémon, a surefire critical and commercial success is all but guaranteed.
What's been shown of Pokémon UNITE has been well-received by the fans, a sentiment which is bolstered by its cross-play between the Switch and mobile versions of the game. The Pokémon license could likely also bring in new and younger gamers that might not traditionally play a MOBA too, thus giving the title a distinct advantage over some of Blizzard's releases. Sure, Pokémon UNITE has some healthy opponents, but in franchise form, it's gonna catch up with 'em all.