Pokemon Unite will terminate its services in Belgium and the Netherlands on November 30, permanently ending support for players in these regions. Although the precise reasoning hasn't been officially confirmed, multiple indicators point to why the popular MOBA title is withdrawing from these markets.

This isn't the first instance where The Pokemon Company and Nintendo have discontinued one of their mobile gaming offerings. Previous titles such as Pokemon Duel and Pokemon Rumble Rush were eventually abandoned after facing global performance challenges. However, the circumstances surrounding Pokemon Unite's departure from Belgium and the Netherlands appear to stem from fundamentally different causes.

Belgium and the Netherlands have emerged as frontrunners in implementing legislation targeting gacha mechanics and loot box systems in video games, which appears to be the primary factor behind Pokemon Unite's scheduled server shutdown on November 30. These nations maintain that certain random-number-generated microtransactions within games potentially violate their anti-gambling statutes, resulting in new regulatory frameworks that compel developers to eliminate such features.

Rather than adapting to these regulatory requirements, Pokemon Unite has apparently elected to discontinue its services entirely, likely because these microtransaction systems form a crucial component of the game's economic sustainability. It's important to note that this prohibition encompasses all versions of the game across iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

The unfortunate aspect of this development is that Pokemon Unite has recently experienced substantial player growth, potentially attributable to the introduction of Mega Evolved Pokemon characters. The game recorded eight million active players on iOS and Android platforms in August, representing approximately 130% growth compared to May 2025 figures. Meanwhile, affected players in Belgium and the Netherlands must either utilize technical workarounds like VPN services to continue playing or abandon their accounts along with all collected items and purchased content.

Additionally, prospective new players in these regions will encounter significant obstacles in creating accounts, as the game will be removed from all digital storefronts. Some enthusiasts in the affected areas express concern about losing opportunities to accumulate points for the Pokemon World Championships, while others perceive the complete removal of access to purchased items as fundamentally unfair.

This mounting frustration originated in October 2024 when in-app purchases were disabled and players received notifications to expend their remaining currency before the November 30, 2025 shutdown deadline. With the termination date approaching, it remains uncertain whether the development team will provide any reliable solutions to help players in these regions preserve their game progress and collected items.