Is Pokémon Unite pay to win? The recent launch of the mobile version has brought that delicate point of discussion back into the spotlight. Skins, characters, avatar customizations, item upgrades, and more all use different coins and tokens that can, for the most part, be easily obtained just by playing the game. But does its optional microtransaction purchases mean Pokémon Unite is pay to win? For the most part, yes. But it's not as bad as you think, and it's getting better. Let us explain.
If the fear of a Pokémon Unite pay to win mechanic hasn't scared you off already, you might want to check out our other guides before you take on a potential whale in your next match. Stats mean nothing without the right strategy. You can learn how to report and block players, how to cancel abilities, and even learn which of the growing Pokémon Unite Licenses you can unlock for free by clicking those links.
What Does Pay to Win Mean?
Pay to win (sometimes abbreviated to P2W) is a term used to describe when a game allows players to spend real money to gain a competitive advantage over non-paying opponents. Most F2P games in this genre offer the ability to spend real money to buy premium currencies that are then used to obtain new characters, skins, and other cosmetics that don't affect the balance of the game.
In the case of a Pokémon Unite, pay to win is baked right in. Albeit sneakily. Real money can be used to buy Aeos Gems which can then be exchanged for the same currency used to upgrade the stats and passive bonuses of Held Items Pokémon take into battle, gaining a distinct early advantage over those who attempt to reach the same point by simply using currency earned through playing the game.
Is Pokémon Unite Pay To Win?
Rather than limit its microtransactions and premium currency to speed up the unlock process of non-competitive cosmetics, the offending Pokémon Unite pay to win mechanic does allow players to gain a district competitive advantage. It's one that can be obtained through regular play, but paying real money will speed up the process. The way this works is through Pokémon Unite Held Items.
Each Pokémon can have three Held Items equipped to it at once, which it brings into each match to gain passive abilities like faster movement speed, higher Physical or Special Attack, and passive health recovery. They also come with small core stat bonuses as well. These can all be obtained with currency earned through regular play, but the issue boils down to the ability to upgrade them with the Item Enhancer currency.
- Read more - check out our Pokémon Unite tier list to see who's on top
Once a player reaches Trainer Level nine, they can start using Item Enhancers to level up their Held Items. These can be upgraded up to 30 times, increasing their core stat bonuses with each and their passive bonuses at level 10 and 20 respectively. The Pokémon Unite pay to win mechanic stems from how these Item Enhancers are obtained and how much of an advantage they give to those who upgrade Held Items faster than the non-paying public.
Currently, Item Enhancers can be obtained by raising your Trainer Level, completing Event objectives, exchanging tickets earned through regular play, and as rewards for the free tiers of the Pokémon Unite Battle Pass. This means there is no easily noticeable method to obtain Item Enhancers by using real-world currency.
Though the shop doesn't show it, you're able to buy Item Enhancers using paid Aeos Gems when you attempt to buy them without enough Aeos Tickets on hand. Aeos Gems can be exchanged for Aoes Tickets at a 1:1 ratio using this method, which can then be used to buy additional Item Enhancers, allowing you to increase the stat bonuses of Held Items far more quickly than a non-paying player.
As the amount needed to upgrade Held Items increases as its level goes up, so does the cost (or time commitment) needed to max one out and have it reach its full potential. This costs around £40/$40 worth of premium currency per Held Item or around £100/$100 for a full set when bonus Aeos Gems are accounted for.
Has Pokémon Unite Pay to Win Been Patched Yet?
As of November 29, the Pokémon Unite pay to win mechanic still exists. It's becoming less and less of an issue as F2P players slowly accumulate more Item Enhancers through gameplay, but the issue of premium players having a stat advantage remains in the game.
With the launch of Pokémon Unite Mobile, which players can use their Pokémon Unite Nintendo Switch account on, the P2W issue has been reduced considerably. The method remains for the most part, but anyone who logs in is given three Super Item Enhancers for free. These immediately boost a Held Item to Grade 30 which can ensure your main Pokémon is always geared to the max, evening the score.