Pokémon UNITE is shutting down. The Pokémon Company says service ends on March 23, 2027 on both Switch and phones, and you can no longer buy Aeos gems or start a UNITE Club membership. Also in this roundup: Xbox Game Pass is coming to some T-Mobile plans in November, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced gets New Game+ and a Nightmare mode on October 27, and Stalker 2 has a big new update.
Pokémon UNITE ends service on March 23, 2027
The Pokémon Company posted the end-of-service notice on October 26. The game will stop working on March 23, 2027 at 00:00 UTC, which is 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET on March 22. That covers both the Switch version, which launched on July 21, 2021, and the mobile version. After that you can't log in or play battles.
What it means for you:
- Purchases: Aeos gem sales and new UNITE Club memberships stopped on October 27 at 05:00 UTC (10 p.m. PT on October 26 / 1 a.m. ET on October 27), and Club auto-renewal is off. Gems you already own work until the end, and current members keep their benefits until their membership period runs out.
- Farewell event: an update on November 12 at 04:00 UTC (8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET on November 11) adds a Unite Coin Exchange where coins from log-in bonuses and missions trade for Unite licenses, Holowear and Trainer fashion items from the game's past.
- Library: the same update adds a "library" that lets you keep viewing your items, records and the Practice Area after shutdown, but only if its data finishes downloading before March 23. It generally can't move to a new device.
- Esports: the Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo tournament still goes ahead, with qualifiers starting December 5.
Our take: If you still have gems, there's no reason to sit on them, since they can't buy anything after March 22. Play at least once after November 12 so the library data downloads, or your collection is gone for good.
Xbox Game Pass comes to T-Mobile plans in November
Xbox announced on October 26 that Game Pass will be one of the perks in T-Mix, T-Mobile's new setup that lets US customers choose the benefits included in their wireless plan. Starting in November, eligible T-Mix customers can pick Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Premium. Xbox says this is the first time Game Pass has been offered through a wireless plan in the US.
What it means for you:
- Where you play: the Game Pass library works on Xbox consoles, PCs and smart TVs, among other devices.
- Price and eligibility: Xbox's post doesn't say what T-Mix costs, which plans qualify or the exact November start date. For eligibility, it points to T-Mobile's own announcement.
- Already subscribed? Xbox hasn't said whether an existing Game Pass membership can be moved onto a T-Mobile plan.
Our take: For a T-Mobile customer who already pays for Game Pass, this could replace a monthly bill. Wait until T-Mobile's plan prices are clear before you switch anything, because a perk is only a saving if the plan costs the same.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced adds New Game+ and Nightmare mode on October 27
Ubisoft's Title Update 1.0.8 patch notes, posted October 26, say this is the final major content update for the remake. It goes live on October 27 at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET on all platforms, and Ubisoft plans only quality-of-life updates after it.
What's in it:
- New Game+: you keep Edward's weapons, upgrades, outfits, the Jackdaw's upgrades, your money and hideout progress, but forts must be retaken. Difficulty climbs each run, up to five New Game+ cycles, with a new currency, Escudos, for exclusive outfits and items.
- Nightmare mode: enemies deal 1.8 times the damage, the parry window is shorter, the white glint before attacks is gone, and nothing stops a single shot from killing you at full health.
- Also: takedown animations from the original game return, plus new cosmetics and hidden community chests.
- Download size: 15.5 GB on Xbox Series X|S, 4.5 GB on PS5, 4.3 GB on PC and 2.1 GB on Steam. The game costs $59.99 on Steam.
Ubisoft's roadmap post adds that Jean Guesdon, head of content, will give an Assassin's Creed franchise update on Thursday, October 29, with no major reveals planned.
Our take: Nightmare mode's disabled one-shot protection changes the game more than the damage boost does, so treat every gunner as lethal. New Game+ is the better pick if you just want more of the open sea with your gear intact.
Stalker 2's update 2.1 lets you see A-Life NPCs from much farther away
GSC Game World released update 2.1, The Zone Lookout, for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl on October 26. It is the first major update since 2.0.
What's new:
- Longer view distance: a new setting raises how far away you can see the NPCs run by the game's A-Life simulation, and binoculars now work with the longer distances. Gunfights can also be heard from farther away.
- Fast travel: a new fast travel system works through squad leaders.
- Fixes: a long list of bug fixes, including NPCs that went missing on PS5 after update 2.0 and quest characters who could vanish during missions.
- Mods: GSC warns that mods may break, and suggests turning them off if you run into stability problems.
The game's regular price is $59.99 on Steam.
Our take: The longer A-Life distance is the change most likely to make the Zone feel busier, since more of the simulation plays out where you can see it. If you play with mods, check that they have been updated before you load your main save.