The Ranked circuit has changed in Pokémon Unite with the introduction of EX Pokémon. The newest update has brought some important changes to the franchise, but it pretty much only affects Master ranked players. Even if you haven’t climbed that high on the leaderboards, it’s important to know what’s going on with EX Pokémon. That’s especially true because EX Licenses might affect lower ranks later, even though these changes target Master at the moment. If you’ve been wondering about the meaning of EX Pokémon in Pokémon Unite, here’s an explanation of the situation so you know about all the important details.
What Are EX Pokémon in Pokémon UNITE?
A few Unite license Pokémon have become Unite EX licenses (“EX licenses” for short). Currently, only three Pokémon have become Unite EX: Zacian, Mewtwo (X), and Mewtwo (Y). They’re easy to tell apart because they’re marked with a distinctive EX icon that sets them apart from every other Pokémon. The developer has already stated that it may make future adjustments in terms of which Unite licenses are EX licenses, so don’t be surprised if more changes come to your favorite Pokémon. For now, this is how the devs are trying to balance Pokémon with high battle potential.
EX licenses only affect ranked matches in which one or more Master-rank players are participating. Starting in Season 17 on January 16, 2024, neither team will be allowed to use EX licenses for ranked matches. The developer has said that regulations will change each season following a pre-season announcement. EX licenses don’t have any effect outside of ranked, so you can still use Zacian, Mewtwo (X), and Mewtwo (Y) in normal Unite Battles. Though some players have raised concerns about EX licenses, arguing that it may encourage the developer to leave unbalanced cards unchanged, only time will tell if that’s true.
Pokémon Unite is available for Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS.
