Pokémon UNITE is shutting down. The Pokémon Company says service on Nintendo Switch and on mobile (Android and iOS) ends on 23 March 2027 at 00:00 UTC, which is 5:30 a.m. IST. After that you won't be able to log in or play battles. The wind-down has already started: from 27 October 2026 at 10:30 a.m. IST you can no longer buy Aeos gems or start a new UNITE Club membership, and a final shop sale with up to 80% off is running until the end. An update on 12 November 2026 (9:30 a.m. IST) adds a Library feature that keeps some of your collection viewable offline, but only if you download that data before the servers close.
This is a big change for India. UNITE was one of the few Pokémon games built for phones and competitive team play, and India has had its own regional slot at the game's world-level tournaments. Below is the full official timeline in IST, what happens to your gems and Holowear, how to keep your Library, what is still unclear (refunds), and what's left of the competitive season.
Pokémon UNITE end-of-service timeline in IST
The dates below come from the official End of Service Notice and the Schedule Until End of Service pages on Pokémon Support, plus the 27 October update notice on the official UNITE site. NextPlayIntel converted the times to IST (UTC+5:30).
Date (IST) | What happens | UTC time |
|---|---|---|
27 Oct 2026, 10:30 a.m. | Aeos gem sales suspended; new UNITE Club memberships and auto-renewals stopped; Grand Shop Sale (up to 80% off) begins | 05:00 UTC |
27 Oct – 2 Dec 2026 | Registration open for Pokémon UNITE Asia Champions League / Aeos Crown 2027 qualifiers (India has 1 finals slot) | — |
12 Nov 2026, 9:30 a.m. | Update adds Unite Coin Exchange, Unite Coin missions, a log-in bonus and the Library feature | 04:00 UTC |
5–6 Dec 2026 | India online qualifier for Aeos Crown 2027 | — |
20–21 Mar 2027 | Aeos Crown 2027 offline finals in Tokyo (32 teams, no spectators, streamed) | — |
23 Mar 2027, 5:30 a.m. | End of service: no log-in, no battles on Switch or mobile | 00:00 UTC |
The last full day to play from India is Monday 22 March 2027. The servers go down early on the morning of Tuesday 23 March IST, so don't plan a last session for that morning.
NextPlayIntel original infographic built from the official Pokémon Support end-of-service notice and schedule.
What has already changed since 27 October
Aeos gems: you can't buy them any more. Gems already in your account still work in the shops until service ends.
UNITE Club: new sign-ups and auto-renewals have stopped. If you're a member, you keep the benefits until your current period runs out.
Grand Shop Sale: items are up to 80% off until service ends, and some past items are back in the shop. If you have gems or coins left, this is the time to spend them.
Battles: ranked, quick and standard battles keep working normally until the shutdown.
The 12 November update: Unite Coins and the Library
The final big update arrives on 12 November 2026 at 04:00 UTC (9:30 a.m. IST). According to the official update notice, it adds:
Unite Coin Exchange: a way to exchange Unite Coins for items now that gems can't be bought.
Unite Coin missions and a log-in bonus: more ways to earn coins over the final months.
Library: a mode that keeps part of your account viewable after shutdown.
What the Library keeps, and the catch
The Library keeps the Practice Area, your Holowear and Pokémon licences, your closet (trainer outfits), Unite Snapshot, and records and items in view-only form. There are three conditions in the official notice that you need to know about:
Library rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
You must finish the data download before end of service | If you skip it, there's nothing to view after 23 March 2027 |
Library data generally can't be moved to a new device | If you change phones, the Library usually won't come with you; download on the device you plan to keep |
No support after end of service | If the data breaks or you lose it later, nobody can restore it |
Finish boost emblem merges and held item levelling first | The Library is a snapshot, so finish your progress before the final download |
The Library is not offline multiplayer and not a single-player campaign. It's a read-only record of your collection, plus the Practice Area for trying Pokémon on your own. Battles against other players end on 23 March.
Step by step: how to get ready before the shutdown
Spend your Aeos gems now. You can't buy more, and no global refund has been confirmed (see below). The Grand Shop Sale is the best value you'll get.
Log in daily after 12 November. Collect the log-in bonus and clear Unite Coin missions, then use the Unite Coin Exchange.
Finish your progress. Merge boost emblems and level held items before the final Library download, as the official notice advises.
Pick your final device. On mobile, settle on the phone you'll keep, because Library data generally doesn't transfer. Switch players should download on the console they'll keep.
Download the Library data. Do it well before 22 March 2027 rather than on the last night, when servers may be busy. Check you have enough free storage.
Don't uninstall afterwards. The Library lives inside the app. The Japanese notice also tells players not to delete the game while refund procedures are pending.
Refunds for unused gems: confirmed in Japan, not for India
The Japanese-language notice says unused paid Aeos gems will be refunded after the end of service, through an in-game form, and asks players not to delete the game. The English End of Service Notice for other regions doesn't mention a refund. So right now there's no confirmed refund for players in India. Refund rules often follow local consumer law, so the Japan policy may not apply here. Until the Pokémon Company says otherwise for India, treat unspent gems as something to use, not something to save for a refund. We'll update this article if a global refund policy is announced.
The last competitive season: Aeos Crown 2027
UNITE esports will get one more season. The official Aeos Crown 2027 announcement gives India one slot in the finals. Registration is open from 27 October to 2 December 2026, and the online qualifier runs on 5–6 December 2026. The finals are an offline event in Tokyo on 20–21 March 2027, just two days before shutdown, with 32 teams playing under special "All-Star Draft" rules. There will be no spectators at the venue, but it will be streamed. Indian teams that want to play in the game's last major event have a little over a month to register.
Background: four and a half years of UNITE
Pokémon UNITE is a 5-on-5 team battle game developed by TiMi Studio Group with The Pokémon Company. It launched on Nintendo Switch on 21 July 2021, and the mobile version followed globally on 22 September 2021. It was free to play with optional purchases: Aeos gems for Holowear and battle passes, and later the UNITE Club subscription. Its matches were short and easy to pick up on a phone, which made it a popular entry into team-based competitive games for many players in India. The Pokémon Company hasn't given a detailed reason for the shutdown in the notices we checked.
What we don't know yet
Whether unused paid gems will be refunded outside Japan, including in India.
Exactly which items the Unite Coin Exchange will offer, and at what rates (details come with the 12 November update).
Whether any offline or single-player battle mode will survive beyond the Library's Practice Area. The official notices say battles end.
Whether The Pokémon Company plans a successor game. Nothing has been announced.
Related reading
For more free-to-play and live-service news for India, see our News section.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
When does Pokémon UNITE shut down in India?
Service ends on 23 March 2027 at 00:00 UTC, which is 5:30 a.m. IST. After that you can't log in or play battles on Switch or mobile.
Can I still buy Aeos gems?
No. Gem sales were suspended on 27 October 2026 at 10:30 a.m. IST. Gems you already own can be used until service ends.
Will I get a refund for unused gems in India?
Not confirmed. The Japanese notice promises refunds of unused paid gems after shutdown, but the English global notice does not mention refunds.
What is the Pokémon UNITE Library feature?
Added in the 12 November 2026 update, it keeps the Practice Area, Holowear and licences, closet, Unite Snapshot and records viewable after shutdown, if you download the data before end of service.
Can Indian teams still play in Aeos Crown 2027?
Yes. India has one finals slot. Registration runs 27 October to 2 December 2026, the online qualifier is 5–6 December, and the Tokyo finals are 20–21 March 2027.
Sources & verification
Sources last verified on . This article covers published information, not hands-on testing.