The Last Unite Journey: End of Service

Well... this post is a difficult one to make for obvious reasons, but it has to be written up in some way. Yesterday, it was announced that Pokémon Unite will end its service - not now or soon, but next year. The state of the game is thus as such that the inevitable has to happen, and it becomes a regrettable one. It's also important (and necessary) for me to cover the situation, given that I've played the game since the beginning and have a dedicated category on this blog for posts that pertain to it - including the "beginning of the end".

Here's how things break down (ahem). As of the announcement above, Aeos Gems - as well as Unite Club memberships - cannot be bought anymore. For the latter, renewals have also been stopped, but an ongoing membership will continue until it ends. The game will still remain playable for now, but the "fatal day" is set for March 23, 2027 at midnight UTC, at which point gameplay ends and login will no longer be possible. As such, there is still five months left to enjoy the game as much as possible before, well... it's not possible anymore.

The regular events of the game will understandably cease - some sooner than others - but starting in the middle of next month, there will be a special "finale" event that also includes a "library" feature update to allow viewing of accomplishments locally even after the service for the game ends. Then, there is the game's final tournament, called Aeos Crown 2027 - a kind of "WCS outside of WCS" - which will start its qualifiers in early December before progressing to further stages up to its finals, which will coincide with the game's end of service.

Now, as for how I feel about the situation, I feel that it becomes a "hollow victory" for certain other MOBA games, of which Unite is one. It also comes at the hands of the "mistreatment" of both the game and its players, forcing them to jump through "paywall" hoops in order to get the best of what the game has to offer, and themselves. Yet the world of MOBA games is apparently a dog-eat-dog one ("every Fidough for themselves"), so it could be in part not a surprise if one folds... although this particular example had a thing going for it.

Regardless, the announcement is a done deal, and now the game faces its final journey toward end of service. After several years of uniting with other players to accomplish many things in the game, it is quite disheartening and difficult to "disunite" with them as well as the game in general. Still, that final journey still takes some time to go through, and within that time there will be some developments - and perhaps a few insights for the game and Pokémon. With that, the "beginning of the end" for Pokémon Unite presents its last challenge for all.

One year ago: The Matter of Pokémon Devolution

Two years ago: PokéParkour

Three years ago: Moon Matters, Pokémon Matters

Four years ago: From Draft to Post: The Thought Process of Pokémon Blogging

Five years ago: Pokémon Unite Halloween Event

Six years ago: Being a Scanner or Diver with Pokémon

Seven years ago: On Tap for Go

Eight years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Repeat, 10/28/2018

Nine years ago: At the Movies: Episode 698 - "Movie Time! Zorua in 'The Legend of the Pokémon Knight!'"

The Mezastar Diaries: Getting It Together

It's been a long time since I mentioned Pokémon Mezastar, as the regional arcade Pokémon game that has taken ahold locally. Though it's local, I actually don't play it often for the reason that the machines are in fact distant from where I am - though that's not the subtopic I want to discuss right now. What I do want to discuss now, though, is the effort that is needed in order to get started playing the game, in particular the preparation that goes into that. It's actually a bit involved, which makes it perfect for a discussion.

First in the line of preparations is the registration of a Mezastar ID on the game's web site, which is highly recommended (though not required) in order to save progress since it does cost good money to play it anyway. The ID is provided in the form of a QR code corresponding to a number, which then needs to be saved, ideally by a screenshot immediately after creating it; after that, the QR code image can be printed out and gussied up somehow, which also serves to make login easier as one deals with other things in that effort.

Those other things involve having one's Mezastar tokens at the ready before starting a game, which should be a given, but it's possible for some players to forget. Additionally, players need to put in sufficient credits for a play session at the beginning since it's hard to do so while in the middle of one, given its action; while it takes only one credit to start a game, more credits are needed to capture Pokémon, with each opportunity costing another credit. Three or four (if one can afford as such) credits should be sufficient for a fruitful session.

A game starts by using up one of the credits, which also prompts the login that has to be completed in due time, lest one essentially continues as a "guest". After logging in, there is the usual review prompts, and then the main game begins - a topic that needs to be reserved for another time. The postgame, much like Pokémon Go, has a few capture challenges, and that's where the additional credits come in - one for each prompt. After all that, a game ends, and then one can choose to start it all again and continue the play session.

While Pokémon Mezastar is not a technically demanding game, at least on the player side, some things do have to be prepared for the best gameplay experience, particularly when a player wishes to start a game. For me personally, since the location of the game is distant, these preparations are also of the utmost importance and something to keep in mind before I start to play - if I do get to a machine, that is. There is as much for me to get together prior to play as there is for any other players who'd like to play as well.

One year ago: Cosplay: BEF Fun Coswalk

Two years ago: Cosplay: Japanese Culture - Anniversary Edition

Three years ago: The Future of My Pokémon Cosplay Costumes

Four years ago: Equivalent Spirits

Five years ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: The Penultimate Resolution

Six years ago: Pokémon Go as a Gacha Game?

Seven years ago: Explaining the Supernatural

Eight years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 10/27/2018

Nine years ago: Expecting Something Special

The Gift of Silence

Someone recently said that a gift that is next to divine is the gift of silence (that is, absence of sound) apart from cleanliness also having a possibly similar correlation. Both of them do share a certain quality of purity that would indeed become an approximation of the state that is ascribed to divine beings. It's an inspirational statement in some ways, and that makes me also inspired to determine how Pokémon could be involved in the interpretation of this statement, which is always the case for anything that gets written up on this blog.

Having no sound is a form of total purity, but then having just a little sound is at least a partial purity. The ring of a Chimecho could become the prelude to that purity by being able to clear out other kinds of sounds; it's a bell that tinkles, which as anyone can attest makes a pleasant sound. As for the various key items that resemble bells, they may or may not make sounds themselves, but the effects may just approximate the partial purity of a bell chime. In all of these cases, the gift that is "silence" becomes approximated, at least in a way.

Meanwhile, running water can make an effective "wall of sound" that blocks out many other kinds of sounds, and thus it may have a certain capacity in furnishing "silence". That has a role in explaining why people and Pokémon go into caves behind waterfalls to meditate and/or block out the world, or in some cases even roost there for the case of some species of certain types in certain areas. Likewise, it's not a total purity, but in some cases, a state that is very close to totality can be achieved, and that makes it a gift regardless.

What could be admitted is that it may now sometimes be hard to find the divine gift that has been addressed as above with the state of the world. Yet if Pokémon can offer something to go by, it would be that it's still possible to earn the gift, even if not in totality, through certain situations that approximate the gift. It may seem that the true form of the gift could only belong to divine beings... but at least there may be insights from real life and Pokémon life to obtain near-total silence, and that's a gift in itself, perhaps much like Pokémon.

One year ago: The Lustery Brilliance of Vivillon

Two years ago: The Light of My Pokémon Spirit

Three years ago: Let's Go Get the Party Started

Four years ago: Censure, Cut, and Correct: Errors in Pokémon Transmission

Five years ago: Pokémon Music on Vinyl?

Six years ago: Usage Experience of Go Plus Peripherals

Seven years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Sinister Cup

Eight years ago: Two-Sided Stories

Nine years ago: Pronouncing Pokémon

A Beautiful (Pokémon) Soul

I don't want another pretty face

I don't want just anyone to hold

I don't want my love to go to waste

I want you and your beautiful soul

You're the one I wanna chase

You're the one I wanna hold

I won't let another minute go to waste

I want you and your beautiful soul

Your beautiful soul, yeah...

-- "Beautiful Soul", Jesse McCartney 

The other song that I want to discuss is a song that could be considered to be in the same vein as the previous one, yet it's also quite different thematically. As well, it has a very, very indirect connection to Pokémon that will become evident when I explain it soon. But then, the point of bringing up the song on this blog is to relate it to Pokémon nonetheless, and that's my main objective.

So, this song is another love song, and the gist of it essentially is that it's about the desires of a person for someone that the person loves very much and wants to be with in the times ahead. It's certainly quite profound, especially in the song's chorus as the part that I chose to quote above. The described person is pretty, lovely, and of course beautiful - a testament of love.

For the Pokémon relation, two Trainers could certainly have similar feelings for each other, and that's as real as the song itself is real. Yet there can also be a general and non-romantic admiration for certain Pokémon species as many long-term fans can attest, and the song can then apply for that case. Whatever romance might be involved may only be apparent as it is... hopefully.

Now, as for that very, very indirect Pokémon connection, the artist of this song had also been the member of a boy band... of which one song of theirs had appeared on this blog, and it happens to be part of the "interpretative soundtrack" of an early Pokémon movie. While the song may not exactly continue the boy band spirit, a little bit of it still lingers in the song.

Many people and things in life can very much be described as beautiful, although that could be open to certain interpretations, including for those that are related to Pokémon. With the song above, the presented ideas in it might fit into any or all of those interpretations, and that could be as beautiful as any soul for whom the descriptor applies or becomes applied to.

One year ago: Let's Talk About The Ends of the Universe

Two years ago: Bringing Things to the Forefront in Pokémon Go

Three years ago: Hot Springs with Pokémon

Four years ago: Virtual Voices for Pokémon Characters

Five years ago: The New Tournament Pantheon

Six years ago: Type Logic: Of Light and Darkness 

Seven years ago: One-Upping Ash

Eight years ago: Dilemma of Colors

Nine years ago: Pokémon XY Pikachu Freezer Bottle

Parts of Our (Pokémon) Symphony

And now your song is on repeat

And I'm dancin' on to your heartbeat

And when you're gone, I feel incomplete

So if you want the truth -

I just wanna be part of your symphony

Will you hold me tight and not let go?

Symphony

Like a love song on the radio

Will you hold me tight and not let go?

-- "Symphony", Clean Bandit (feat. Zara Larsson)

Coming off a post about my Pokémon experiences with a musical twist, I thought I'd continue that trend with a couple more songs, and ones with good reasons behind them as well. About a couple of years ago, I had put up another song by this music group that is associated with feelings of preference, and now with another song of theirs, the feeling can be said to be more about "belonging" instead and how all that can tie into and with Pokémon. 

Like the previous song, this one can also be considered a love song (not the least because the pre-chorus and chorus quoted above mentions said phrase). It tells of a relationship that is like a symphony, a piece of music where the contributors provide tones to it in harmony. Certainly, that means that the tones belong to each other, and it would be felt as "off" if some of the tones would go missing... which corresponds to the third line of the pre-chorus as above. As a love song, then, it captures the feelings of people who belong in this manner.

Relating this state of affairs to Pokémon, it is certain that Trainers and their Pokémon belong together as key partners for all that they do on and off the battlefield. Then, Pokémon fans belong with others of their kind in order to play, interact, and build their worlds together. Furthermore, those same fans will identify with various aspects of Pokémon, whether games, characters, species, merchandise, and much, much more. It is fitting, then, that the title of this post is "parts of our symphony", because all of these could be construed as such.

Moreover, many fans and aspects of Pokémon have demonstrated that if those elements or aspects happen to become missing in some way, then it feels like a part has been taken away from either party to the relationship. It's the consequence of them being connected to each other, and even the song elaborates in this in its other parts (specifically, verses). In that way, they all have and manifest the sense of "belonging" as stated in all their ways.

The songs by this music group are as varied in themes as they are in vocalists, but they have a signature sound and (in the specific case of two of them) can have their themes applied to Pokémon. Their messages will surely be on repeat, the fans can have something to dance to, and they'll never be lost. That's a symphony that is applicable to both real and Pokémon life.

One year ago: Battle Ribbons in Pokémon Unite

Two years ago: We Welcome You to Pokéween

Three years ago: Changing Post Topics on the Spot

Four years ago: Pokémon (Pikachu) Loot from Utsuru KJR

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 10/24/2021

Six years ago: Type Logic: Of Dragons, Fairies, and Steel

Seven years ago: Pokémon Annual 2019

Eight years ago: Items with a Purpose

Nine years ago: Beyond the Boundary... of Languages

Wayang Meets Pokémon

Having written up a post about Pokémon collaborations in and with Indonesia, I thought I'd throw in one more, but because it's so significant, it deserves a full post of its own. Now, one of the "claims to fame" of the country is wayang, a form of shadow puppetry with a highly artistic quality about it, including the show that accompanies the performance. And it's a real show, for it can also involve various settings and additionally be adapted in various ways... and now its time has come for it to meet Pokémon, with both adapting to each other.

With the country's Ministry of Culture (and Creative Economy) giving blessings, a collaborative wayang show that features Pokémon was born, and it's called... "Poké Wayang", of course. The show presents a story about a place where sense of time has been lost, and it's up to the Pokémon to sort things out and restore order. The show can already be seen on YouTube on the Pokémon Asia channel with English subtitles, which allows the broader world of Pokémon fans to understand the show and enjoy its experience.

The accompanying introductory video (in part also a behind-the-scenes to a capacity) is also fascinating to watch. It shows the creation process for the puppets - specifically, the species ones - which in actual light are faithful to their appearances. It also includes some words from the script writer (Akihito Toda) and a few words from the national wayang association. Much of it concerns doing justice to both the art form as well as Pokémon, and many would consider that feat accomplished with what has been presented.

Meanwhile, as for my thoughts about the whole thing, though the show is only 15 minutes in length, it's still impressive for what it is. Its few human characters - yes, there are some - help to ease in the storyline and the fact that it's not a run-of-the-mill wayang show. Many will also have noted the gamelan version of some familiar Pokémon music pieces, which may or may not have anything to do with future Pokémon initiatives involving the country, but that is nevertheless impressive and helps bring everything about it together.

Culturally, wayang is a significant heritage of Indonesia, and like many such things, it certainly faces the challenge of trying to remain in existence in modern times. One answer for that challenge is to embrace facets of modern times, like collaborating with Pokémon as per the above show. The results may just turn out amazing as well, and it bodes well for the heritage art form, fans of either or both, and those with prospects of appreciating them. That will open doors into the past, present, and future of both wayang and Pokémon.

One year ago: My Staff Member Progress in Café Remix

Two years ago: Pokémon and Steampunk

Three years ago: Memories of Unova

Four years ago: Cosplay: CyFest 2022

Five years ago: Creepy Pokémon Flashbacks

Six years ago: Minimum Play with Pokémon Go

Seven years ago: Performance Critique: Akatsuki no Matsuri 2 J-Song

Eight years ago: A Storybook and a Reference

Nine years ago: A Successor Has Been Named

New IDN-PKMN Collaborations

It's no surprise that Indonesia (IDN) is currently in a "love affair" with Pokémon (PKMN), and it seems that there's always something going on - as in, a collaboration. In fact, recently there have been quite a few more collaborations, and they're all significant in some way, which means I just have to write about them somehow. For that, I've gathered the most recent and significant ones so I can write about them all at once and together.

One of the premier banks in the country, BCA, has collaborated by introducing a couple of Flazz e-money cards with Pokémon motifs on them. One of those is of Eevee and Pikachu, and the other is of the "Eeveelutions" all together. They've been gradually introduced through certain means of purchase for prospective owners, and if they're Pokémon fans, they'll surely appreciate having a way of paying for things with Pokémon visibly on it.

Then there are a couple of food-related collaborations. One of them is an upcoming one with Vita Jelly Drink, which is to introduce a few flavors co-branded with Pokémon and a little bit of something special alongside that. A little earlier, Pop Mie by Indofood got two new flavors inspired by two Pokémon species as well as something special of its own... but this latter one I can stand to discuss at length and separately, so I'm going to leave it there.

Meanwhile, the local convenience store chain of Indomaret has in a way upped the ante on its collaboration by offering in-house branded water and tissue that feature Pikachu on them. The common convenience store items get a Pokémon twist in this way, which makes them perfect to be used by fans, especially if they might be placed into a certain high-energy context that may require the use of those items - and one is coming up soon, but that's for later.

Lots of collaborations are good for Pokémon fans, and they may be even better for fans in places where there hadn't been a lot of that before, like in Indonesia. The recent collaborations as detailed above highlight the situation that all kinds of entities in the country are starting to warm up to different forms and ways of collaborating with the franchise, and that will satisfy the local fans and practically any fan who might be able to get them and enjoy them nicely.

One year ago: Pokémon Agility Contests??

Two years ago: Pokémon Airships

Three years ago: Cosplay: Tanoshii Matsuri

Four years ago: Stamp Events in Café Remix

Five years ago: Just Waiting on an Absol

Six years ago: On the Variety of Go Plus Peripherals

Seven years ago: A (Not So) Little Anniversary

Eight years ago: Resilience

Nine years ago: Cosplay: Arigatoo...!!!