Pokemon Unite Now Available To Preload On Switch

Pokemon Unite launches on Nintendo Switch this week, and you can now preload the upcoming spin-off ahead of its release. A product page for Pokemon Unite is now available on the Nintendo eShop, letting you download the free-to-play Pokemon MOBA so that you can jump right in when it unlocks on July 21. [Update: Pokemon Unite is now available.]

According to the game's eShop, Pokemon Unite weighs in at only 928 MB. The game is free to download and play online, with optional in-game purchases in the form of cosmetic costumes for your trainer and Pokemon.

According to The Pokemon Company (via Serebii), Pokemon Unite preloads will unlock at midnight local time on July 21. However, the game will officially be live to play beginning at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET / 7 AM UTC.

As previously mentioned, Pokemon Unite is a MOBA spin-off of the Pokemon series. The game is set on Aeos Island, where players will team up to take part in 5v5 Unite Battle tournaments. The goal of these battles is to gather Aeos energy by defeating other Pokemon and then putting the energy into one of the opposing team's designated zones.

As an extra bonus for playing the game, The Pokemon Company is giving away a free Pokemon: Zeraora. All players who download and play the game by August 31 will receive the powerful Electric-type for free. Pokemon Unite is also coming to mobile devices in September, and it will support cross-play and cross-progression with the Switch version.