The Pokémon Company has announced that Pokémon UNITE will not be included in the 2027 Pokémon World Championships and will instead run a standalone international event titled Pokémon UNITE Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo.
Pokémon UNITE, a free-to-play MOBA developed by TiMi Studio Group in partnership with The Pokémon Company, launched on Nintendo Switch in July 2021 and on mobile later that year and has received ongoing updates, new playable Pokémon, maps and modes since release.
The title has been active for five years as of mid-2026.
In a website update, The Pokémon Company outlined the decision and provided an initial schedule.
Rewriting the company’s statement in clear, journalistic terms: The Pokémon Company confirmed that Pokémon UNITE will be removed from the 2027 Pokémon World Championships roster and will instead hold a dedicated tournament called Pokémon UNITE Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo, with regional online qualifiers beginning in November 2026 and an offline final in Tokyo in late March 2027 for up to 32 teams.
The company says regional winners will be invited to Tokyo and that travel awards will be provided to qualifying teams.
Key details provided by The Pokémon Company:
- Regional Qualifiers: Tentatively start November 2026, held online with a unified regulation across regions, and will award tournament prizes.
- Final Tournament: Tentatively scheduled for late March 2027 in Tokyo, Japan; offline format; up to 32 teams will compete; Travel Awards will be included for qualifying teams.
The announcement represents a shift in competitive positioning for Pokémon UNITE within The Pokémon Company’s broader esports programming.
Since its 2021 debut on Nintendo Switch and subsequent mobile launch, Pokémon UNITE has been positioned as the franchise’s MOBA offering, developed by TiMi Studio Group (a Tencent affiliate known for large-scale mobile titles) and published under The Pokémon Company banner.
The company said further details — including exact dates, eligible regions and tournament regulations — will be published when finalized.
This update gives teams and organizers initial timelines for qualification and the offline final in Tokyo, while The Pokémon Company finalizes the broader competitive roadmap for Pokémon esports beyond 2026.
Pokémon UNITE, a free-to-play MOBA developed by TiMi Studio Group in partnership with The Pokémon Company, launched on Nintendo Switch in July 2021 and on mobile later that year and has received ongoing updates, new playable Pokémon, maps and modes since release.
The title has been active for five years as of mid-2026.
In a website update, The Pokémon Company outlined the decision and provided an initial schedule.
Rewriting the company’s statement in clear, journalistic terms: The Pokémon Company confirmed that Pokémon UNITE will be removed from the 2027 Pokémon World Championships roster and will instead hold a dedicated tournament called Pokémon UNITE Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo, with regional online qualifiers beginning in November 2026 and an offline final in Tokyo in late March 2027 for up to 32 teams.
The company says regional winners will be invited to Tokyo and that travel awards will be provided to qualifying teams.
Key details provided by The Pokémon Company:
- Regional Qualifiers: Tentatively start November 2026, held online with a unified regulation across regions, and will award tournament prizes.
- Final Tournament: Tentatively scheduled for late March 2027 in Tokyo, Japan; offline format; up to 32 teams will compete; Travel Awards will be included for qualifying teams.
The announcement represents a shift in competitive positioning for Pokémon UNITE within The Pokémon Company’s broader esports programming.
Since its 2021 debut on Nintendo Switch and subsequent mobile launch, Pokémon UNITE has been positioned as the franchise’s MOBA offering, developed by TiMi Studio Group (a Tencent affiliate known for large-scale mobile titles) and published under The Pokémon Company banner.
The company said further details — including exact dates, eligible regions and tournament regulations — will be published when finalized.
This update gives teams and organizers initial timelines for qualification and the offline final in Tokyo, while The Pokémon Company finalizes the broader competitive roadmap for Pokémon esports beyond 2026.
