Pokémon Is Officially Pulling the Plug on One of Its Biggest Games
The Pokémon Company will end service for Pokémon UNITE on 23 March 2027, closing the free-to-start team battle game on Nintendo Switch and mobile. The announcement gives no reason for the shutdown; players have several months left to compete and prepare for the closure.
The five-on-five game launched on Switch in July 2021 and expanded to mobile that September. Sales of Aeos gems and new UNITE Club memberships ended on 27 October, though players can spend existing gems and current members keep benefits until their paid periods expire. A 12 November update will add discounted items, special coins and a Library for viewing collected cosmetics and achievements; players must download its data before the servers close, and it generally cannot be transferred to another device. The previously announced Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo tournament will still go ahead, with qualifiers starting on 5 December.
In short
- Pokémon UNITE closes on 23 March 2027.
- Gem sales and new memberships have ended.
- Download Library data before service ends to keep access to selected content.
Explained simply
Pokémon UNITE is a team battle game in which two sides of five Pokémon compete, working together to score points. It is free to start and has been available on Nintendo Switch and mobile phones since 2021.
The Pokémon Company runs the game, which draws on the wider Pokémon franchise of games, television and merchandise. Players can collect and customise Pokémon, and some optional features have involved paid membership or in-game currency.
UNITE’s closure matters to players who have spent time or money building up collections and achievements, as well as to those who compete in its tournaments. Online games depend on the company’s servers, so when service ends, many features and records may no longer be accessible.