Pokemon Unite is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a very special event, new cosmetic items, and the arrival of six new Pokemon.
The celebrations start today at 5 PM PT (8 PM ET) with Pika Party, a new limited-time event where everyone and everything is Pikachu. There will be no selection of Pokemon for this mode--it's Pikachus as far as the eye can see, but at least everyone is wearing cosmetics so they can be differentiated. And in the middle of the map, a Gigamax Pikachu to ransack the field at random moments.
Pika Party starts today and will run until Thursday, September 1 at 4:59 PM PT (7:59 PM ET).
In addition to the new mode, Pokemon Unite is also adding six new Pokemon to the game's roster, starting with Buzzwole, the overly muscular mosquito Ultra Beast. Buzzwole is part of the first wave of new Pokemon for Pokemon Unite, which includes Glaceon and Tyrannitar. Starting in September, another batch of three Pokemon will arrive.
And of course, what's an anniversary party without new Unite licenses and Holowear? The new Holowear is available now until October 12 at 4:59 PT. All you need to do to get all five items is just log in to Pokemon Unite for a total of five days. Doing so grants you a floral Pikachu outfit, a fireman's outfit for Blastoise, a leather jacket for Lucario, a sleepy-looking bib for Snorlax, and a delightfully patterned skirt for Sylveon. You don't even need to log in on back-to-back days, so just check in every once in a while before October 12 to get your free loot.
The party starts tonight, so be sure to log into Pokemon Unite to join in the fun. And elsewhere in today's Pokemon Presents we got to see the new Paldea region in all its natural glory. The first open-world Pokemon game will also introduce a new evolution that covers your Pokemon in crystals. Pokemon Scarlet & Violet arrives on November 18.