Pokémon Unite Celebrates First Anniversary With New Pika Party Mode

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Pokémon Unite is celebrating its first-year anniversary with a brand new, Pikachu-centric party mode. Last July, TiMi Studio Group released a free-to-play multiplayer online arena title that let players control various Pokémon in frantic match-ups on the Nintendo Switch, with Pokémon Unite later being ported to Android and iOS-compatible mobile devices the following September. While Pokémon Unite initially ran into some controversy regarding its use of monetization and perceived Pay-To-Win mechanics, the game would be downloaded over 70 million times since its launch and be nominated for Best Mobile Game at December’s Game Awards 2021 event.

In the months to come, TiMi Studio Group and The Pokémon Company would add new playable characters and alternate costumes to Pokémon Unite, as well as host special holiday-themed events that offered players free content in exchange for logging in at a certain time. An ongoing Pokémon Unite Anniversary event is bringing even more new Pokémon into the game throughout the past few weeks, such as the Ice-themed Glaceon and the hulking Ultra Beast insectoid Buzzwole — a rare Pokémon that also made its debut in Pokémon GO not long ago. As it turns out, Pokémon Unite's first-anniversary celebration won't stop here, and the developers behind the successful Pokémon battle royale are adding an entirely new Pokémon Unite gameplay mode that looks to be equal parts cute and electrifying.

Related: How to Get Free Costumes & Licenses in Pokémon Unite (Anniversary Event)

One of the first announcements to be made during today’s Pokémon Presents livestream on the official Pokémon YouTube channel was the addition of a new Pika Party Mode for Pokémon Unite. This cute and colorful new game type will be