Pokemon Unite has Fortnite-style Battle Pass & fans are divided

Pokemon Unite has made its beta debut in Canada and revealed the MOBA-lite title will have a Battle Pass. Fans of the Nintendo RPG are divided over the Fortnite-style feature – some love it, some hate it.

Despite being announced back in June 2020, not a lot is actually known about Pokemon Unite. The MOBA team battle title doesn’t even have an official release date, although several leaks have given us a hint of what to expect.

A beta launched in Canada has revealed a flurry of new information, including modes and features. However, fans of the Game Freak series were left divided over the free-to-play release having a Fortnite-style Battle Pass.

Game Freak / TiMi / Twitter: @HexaUwU

Pokemon Unite not only contains a Battle Pass, but challenges as well.

Pokemon Unite’s Battle Pass has some fans worried

While most Pokemon fans are still in the dark as to when they can get their hands on Unite, Canadian players got to experience the mobile game for the first time on March 2 with an open beta for Android devices. The test release finally lifted the curtain on the project.

Not long after going live, the title’s Battle Pass quickly became a hot topic of discussion on social media platforms. Fans of the series were torn as to whether the popular feature, often seen in modern online titles such as Fortnite and Call of Duty, was a good thing or not.

• Read More: Pokemon community disappointed by latest Unite update

Not a lot is actually known on how the mechanic works, although early screenshots show clothing for Trainers, items, and even Pokemon skins locked behind the feature. An image that surfaced online shows Alolan Ninetales with a look called “Sacred Style” which is currently highlighted in the Pass.

The community took to platforms such as Twitter to voice their concerns. “This game gets worse and worse the more info I find out about it omg,” one user wrote. Another player tweeted “This is a joke right” in disbelief. “For those pointing out how obvious it would be, doesn’t make it  any better lol,” someone else said.

While the Battle Pass sparked backlash from some players, others defended the move since Unite is a free-to-play title. “What, a battle pass? In a PVP free game? Unheard of!” one user replied sarcastically. “What makes it bad? It’s purely optional and it gives you cosmetics. If you want it, buy it. if you don’t want it then don’t” another fan tweetedthe.

Interestingly, when Fortnite-style skins were leaked for Unite back in January, the community overall seemed to love the way the clothing items transformed their favorite Pokemon. Only time will tell whether those critical of the Battle Pass will change their minds once the game is released.

• Read More: Pokemon Unite devs explain why there’s no release date yet

One thing is for sure, it looks like developer TiMi Studios is going all out to make sure the mobile release will have an expanded shelf life. From seasons to rewards, there seems to be plenty of reasons for players to stick around with the title long after each battle.