Pokémon Unite just revealed that they will officially add Delphox from Gen VI on June 8th, 2022, stirring up an equal share of love and controversy.
Here’s the tweet from Pokémon Unite’s feed, showing off some artwork of the psychic/fire-type:
While some fans were thrilled to see the final form of Fennekin thrown into the mix, most reactions have ranged from mild frustration to outright resentment.
Some of the complaints are typical demands for more famous Pokémon, particularly regarding the earlier generations’ starters. However, others are more concerned with the overwhelming number of ranged attackers being added to the game.
Role balancing controversy
Ranged attacks are uniquely powerful in any MOBA game, but with Delphox, Pokémon Unite’s trending additions are beginning to unbalance gameplay for some.
Since the attackers are dominating the role pool, it weakens the level of strategy in the game, instead emphasizing sheer force. There are four other roles besides the attackers, and many players have noticed an absence of speedsters and support Pokémon.
With more speedsters, players could make tactical decisions across the map, distracting attackers and accumulating resources. This is how the game becomes more than a conventional Pokémon battle.
All of that aside, the lack of different roles is also beginning to feel redundant, causing some players to feel bored with the game altogether. The fact that Delphox is from one of the middle-era generations doesn’t help.
Although the Pokémon brand will never lose interest, it’s still important for Unite to address players’ needs. The fundamentals of the MOBA genre have been realized and practiced by plenty of other games already, so hopefully Unite will learn from its peers.
If not for issues with the larger gameplay mechanics, Delphox itself is technically a fun addition, and the fire animations could look pretty neat in-game. Being a starter, it was surely somebody’s first Pokémon, and that nostalgia can’t be underestimated either.
You can read more great content about the Pokémon franchise in our news section!
Comments