T1 Enters Pokémon Unite with a South-Korean lineup

T1 continue their expansion and announced on Friday, October 7, that they will be joining the competitive Pokémon Unite scene, a MOBA set in the Pokémon universe launched in July 2021. The organization, a six-time League of Legends World Champion, has signed five South Korean players, including several members from Team Ex, which achieved a Top 5–8 finish at the 2025 World Championships. With this addition, T1 is now active across eight different titles, including LoL and VALORANT, as well as PUBG, Overwatch, Teamfight Tactics, EA FC, and Tekken.

Developed by TiMi Studios, a subsidiary of Tencent — Riot Games' owner — Pokémon Unite is available on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. The game pits two teams of five players against each other, with each competitor controlling a different Pokémon. Like other MOBAs on mobile or PC, the map features two lanes and a jungle filled with neutral objectives. Each match lasts up to ten minutes, and the team with the highest score wins. Players earn points by defeating wild Pokémon and depositing the energy they gain in designated scoring zones—but doing so is risky, as they become vulnerable while attempting to score.

For T1, the next step is the Southeast Asia Qualifier leading to the 2026 Asia Champions League. This league-format competition, expected to run for just over two months, brings together eight teams from South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, all fighting for three spots at the continental event. The main tournament, a two-day event held in Yokohama, Japan, will feature these three qualified teams alongside rosters from Japan, India, China, and even several squads from the Americas. In the end, only one team, the champion, will earn a direct spot at the World Championships, bypassing the Last Chance Qualifier and other preliminary tournaments.