Pokemon Unite doesn't require an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription

Pokemon Unite won't require an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription to play. 

Last week, it was revealed that Pokemon Unite will be debuting on the Nintendo Switch in July, before arriving on mobile devices later in the year in September. While you might assume that the online game would require an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription to play on Nintendo's console, Serebii has confirmed that this is not the case.

It's nice to know that when Pokemon Unite comes to Nintendo's handheld device next month, you won't need to shell out extra for the ability to play with and against your friends. On top of this, Pokemon Unite will be "free to start," which means that while you can get the game going for free, it's likely that you'll have to pay some sort of fee to keep progressing in Pokemon Unite at some point further on.

If you're unfamiliar with the new game, it's a collaboration between The Pokemon Company and developer/publisher Tencent. Pokemon Unite basically plays out as a top-down brawler, where teams of five players go head to head in online battles to emerge victorious. Simply speaking, it's the Pokemon franchise's first foray into MOBA territory.

Additionally, the new game is doing away with your traditional Pokemon strength matchups. Whereas before we were used to seeing Fire-type creatures dominate their Grass-type counterparts, this time Pokemon are divided into Attacker, Defender, Speedster, Supporter, and All-Rounder types, with each having their own attributes that determine their individual battle statistics.

Pokemon Unite will also offer a battle pass system for players. Through this new reward system, we'll be able to earn customizable cosmetic items for creatures like Pikachu, Blastoise, and more, as well as the game's three types of currency: Coins, Gems, and Tickets.

Right now, we don't actually have a final release date for Pokemon Unite next month on the Nintendo Switch. However, what we do know is that the new brawler will support both cross-play between the Switch and mobile devices, as well as cross-progression between the two, so after you're done playing on the Switch at home, you can carry on brawling on the go.

If you want Pokemon Unite to look as good as possible on the big screen, head over to our Prime Day TV deals guide for a current tracker of the best 4K price points.