Pokémon UNITE to enforce official devices for 2026 World Championships
Photo from Pokémon UNITE
Pokémon UNITE to enforce official devices for 2026 World Championships
ANAHEIM — The Pokémon Company introduces a major tournament policy shift as all competitors in the 2026 Pokémon UNITE World Championships will now play on official devices supplied by the organizers.
The move followed strong community feedback from the 2025 Worlds in Anaheim last August.
Concerns aired
Many competitors raised concerns that the rule undermined fairness, especially for those who prepared on their own optimized devices. Mobile players experienced limited performance due to a technical issue, with backup units running at lesser frame rates.
— Pokémon UNITE Championship Series (@UniteEsports) August 26, 2025
“The Pokémon Group sincerely acknowledges the concerns raised, particularly those stemming from the changes to smartphone device usage policies,” the company said in a statement. They admitted that the situation fell short of expectations for players who had trained extensively for the competition.
Pokémon UNITE, one of the few cross-platform MOBAs available on both Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms, had its competitive integrity questioned during the three-day event.
Changes for next year’s Worlds
To address this, organizers confirmed that future events will equip smartphone players with high-spec official devices, ensuring stable performance and consistent play. The specific models for both Switch and mobile players for the 2026 Worlds will be announced 75 days before the event.
The Pokémon Company also promised updates regarding policies for other live Pokémon World Championship competitions, including VGC and Pokémon GO.
“We remain dedicated to fostering the growth of the competitive scene and creating an environment where players can perform at their highest level, while ensuring that fans and viewers around the world can continue to enjoy Pokémon UNITE tournaments,” the statement concluded.
About Author
