Of course Pokemon Unite is getting a subscription service, that’s a no from me

Sub of the month club

A Pokemon Unite subscription service is coming to town, and it doesn’t sound great on paper based on what they’re offering.

Here’s what a whopping $8.99 per month (the current estimate off of 1,150 yen, which will be finalized) will get you with the upcoming Pokemon Unite subscription (thanks to info from Dotesports), which is more than some streaming channels’ monthly fees:

• 40 gems (premium currency) per day (at the lowest purchase tier, it’s $1 for 60 gems).
• A “Holowear of the month” (a character skin — this month it’s for Greedent).
• Two licenses to try out skins each week.
• Two license trials for characters each week (Wigglytuff and Absol are shown for the first month).
• New portraits and quick-chat cosmetics.
• 10% off trainer cosmetics (and a bonus Hoopa day one trainer outfit).

As a whole, it feels like a pricey way to get people to spend more money rather than a bonus. This is on top of the microtransaction system (which still feeds into gameplay via held item level boosting: a practice some have come to terms with) and the season pass mechanic, which has a premium track. With convoluted trials worked in as “perks,” it feels like a first draft.

Pokemon Unite has been struggling to deliver hard content for a while outside of new premium characters to buy, login events that provide cosmetics, and gimmicky seasonal modes that all feel the same. Even many of their skins are underwhelming, including the monthly premium Pokemon Unite subscription cosmetic: which is just Greedent wearing a bow and a berry hat (which would admittedly make Malibu Stacy jealous). Currently there is no start date.

I’m still occasionally going back to check out each seasonal meta, but this Pokemon Unite subscription service as-is is doing nothing for me.

[Update: The Unite Twitter account claims the May 1 date was an error and it has been “postponed.”]