Pokémon UNITE

Palkia Arrives, 5th Anniversary Plans Take Shape

The latest update for Pokémon UNITE, detected July 16, 2026, brings a major new arrival and sets the stage for the game's fifth anniversary celebration.

Palkia Joins the Roster

The Legendary Pokémon Palkia is now available in Pokémon UNITE. According to multiple sources, including Bulbagarden and Polygon, Palkia arrived on July 17 as an All-Rounder. Players can obtain its Unite license through the Palkia Special Training event, which runs until August 12.

Palkia is the second of four Legendary Pokémon slated to join the game for its fifth anniversary. Yveltal arrived first on July 3, with Reshiram scheduled for August 7 and Solgaleo rounding out the lineup on August 21. Each Legendary's Unite license will be obtainable through its own event.

5th Anniversary Event Coming July 21

The Pokémon UNITE 5th Anniversary event kicks off July 21. Based on available information, the celebration includes opportunities to earn holowear, license art, and up to 5,000 license points. The event also appears to feature a global leaderboard component tied to ranked matches.

Additional Changes in This Update

The patch notes from the official Pokémon forums, titled "Revival Stars [Part 2]," point to several other updates. The Prize Machine is rotating soon, bringing back the Dark Hero Style: Buzzwole. The Treasure Chest Challenge has been updated with the Dark Magician Style: Mimikyu now available.

Meganium is listed as "coming soon," with its Unite license obtainable through an event.

Balance Adjustments

The same patch notes include a notable buff to Pikachu. Its Unite Move, Thunderstorm, received an 8% damage increase. The notes indicate Pikachu "has been struggling to perform effectively," which explains the adjustment.

My Take

Four Legendary Pokémon in two months is an aggressive cadence, even for a game that regularly adds new characters. The event-based unlock system for each one means players who want the full set will need to stay active through August. The Pikachu buff is overdue—the mascot has felt underwhelming in higher-tier play for a while now. Whether an 8% damage increase on its Unite Move is enough remains to be seen.

The version number changed with this update, so expect the usual round of bug fixes and text corrections alongside the new content. Restart your app if it hasn't updated automatically.