The official Pokémon UNITE website has announced a holiday event which will take place from December 15th, 2021, to January 16th, 2022. High resolution pictures and artwork from the press release have been added to an Imageboard thread. Full details of the event are listed below.

Pokémon UNITE’s Holiday Festivities Will Be Snow Much Fun

Pokémon UNITE is embracing the merriment of the season with holiday festivities running from December 15, 2021, to January 16, 2022. Players can get special log-in gifts such as reward boxes containing limited licenses and Trainer fashion items, earn special event rewards with the Illumination Challenge and Photo Challenge, and add two new Unite licenses to their collection as Tsareena and Dragonite enter the fray. And by taking part in Snowball Battle in Shivre City, players can watch as their Pokémon are transformed into snowmen during battle. Finally, from January 1 to January 3, 2022, the Unite licenses for all Pokémon will temporarily be made available to all players at no cost, allowing Trainers to use any Pokémon in any battle except ranked matches.

New Unite Licenses

Put your best foot forward during the festivities with two new Unite licenses. From December 9 to December 31, 2021, the Unite license for Tsareena will be available at no cost. Tsareena is a Melee All-Rounder that is ready to reign over the competition with moves like Triple Axel, Trop Kick, and Queen Ascendant.

On December 20, 2021, the Unite license for Dragonite will be available. With powerful moves like Dragon Breath, Outrage, and Draco Impact, this Melee All-Rounder harnesses its impressive heft and draconic might to dole out maximum damage. New Challenges

Take on exciting new challenges with the Illumination Challenge running from December 15, 2021, to January 16, 2022, and the Photo Challenge running from December 24, 2021, to January 6, 2022.

Participate in the Illumination Challenge by selecting the holiday tree in the lobby to compete in daily missions and challenge missions. By completing these missions, players can collect lights to light up the holiday tree and earn fun rewards—including a Trainer snapshot frame and background, a 1-day limited license, Trainer fashion items, and more.

The Photo Challenge doesn’t run the full length of the festivities, but it still serves up plenty of fun. Players can participate in standard battles, quick battles, ranked matches, and Snowball Battle in Shivre City to collect snowflakes. These snowflakes are then used to reveal parts of a photo that are hidden by a silhouette. Collect lots of snowflakes to complete the photo and earn rewards!

New Quick Battle Map

Ice out opponents on the new 4-on-4 quick battle map, Snowball Battle in Shivre City. On this map, opposing Pokémon that are knocked out will become snowmen for a limited time. Pokémon that are turned into snowmen will not be able to move, but they can visually assist their teammates. While a Pokémon is a snowman, its basic attack will instead cause it to jump into the air, and its moves will do different poses, such as cheering, waving, and giving a thumbs-up. When a Pokémon’s snowman form ends, it’ll leap free of the snow and return to battle.

During Snowball Battle in Shivre City, players can defeat wild Delibird to receive a gift box containing a random one-time battle item that replaces their current battle item. Additionally, the wild Avalugg that normally appears in the central area will be replaced with Articuno.

Special Log-In Gifts

Enjoy special themed rewards and prize boxes by logging in daily from December 24, 2021, until January 1, 2022. From December 25 to December 28, 2021, a prize box will be available from which players can choose to receive Aeos coins, Holowear tickets, Aeos tickets, or item enhancers. From December 29 to December 31, 2021, a prize box will be available that contains a 7-day limited license for one of six Pokémon of the player’s choosing. Finally, a New Year’s prize box will be available only on January 1, 2022, and it will offer players the opportunity to select from one of four exclusive Trainer fashion items!

Finally, be sure to check out the in-game shop for discounted items and cool seasonal Holowear for Pikachu and other Pokémon!

Happy holidays!

Source: https://unite.pokemon.com/en-us/news/unite-holiday-event/

Press Release - FEEL THE FESTIVE CHEER WITH NEW CHARACTERS AND GAME MODES IN POKÉMON UNITE!

Seasonal Festivities Bring Fun New Ways to Play

BELLEVUE, WA — December 8, 2021—Today, The Pokémon Company International unveiled an avalanche of seasonal updates for Pokémon UNITE, including the all-new event Snowball Battle in Shivre City, filled with in-game challenges and surprises celebrating the holiday season, starting December 15, 2021 and lasting until January 16, 2022.

New Pokémon Enter the Arena—Tsareena and Dragonite Coming Soon to Pokémon UNITE

The festivities will kick off tomorrow with the launch of Tsareena, a new playable Pokémon being added to the game’s ever-expanding roster. As an All-Rounder, Tsareena provides new tactical opportunities and fun new ways for Trainers to play, bringing new moves like Trop Kick and Grassy Glide to shake up the strategic team gameplay. Additionally, players will be able to obtain a free Unite license for Tsareena until December 31, 2021 by simply logging in to the game and checking their in-game mail.

Trainers can also look forward to soaring through the skies as Dragonite, who is also releasing as a playable Pokémon on December 20, 2021. Stay tuned to official Pokémon social channels for more information and a first look at Dragonite in action.

Prepare for Festive Frolics with Snowball Battle in Shivre City

From December 15, 2021 to January 16, 2022, the holiday spirit will take hold in quick battles as KO’d Pokémon will turn into snowmen. Although frozen in place, snowmen can still provide tactical information for their teammates while waiting for their revival.

Moreover, players will receive a gift box after defeating Delibird, the Delivery Pokémon. Inside each gift box will be a random one-time battle item that replaces the player’s current item, keeping players on their toes in ever-changing and unpredictable encounters.

Along with these festive additions, the wild Pokémon in Shivre City’s central area will be replaced with Articuno two minutes into matches, offering new challenges for teams to take on.

Trainers and Pokémon will also be able to put on a festive look during the event, as new Holowear and Trainer fashion items will be added to the game.

Don’t Miss Out—Log-In Bonuses and Special Challenges Await

The Illumination Challenge will also take place from December 15, 2021 to January 16, 2022 alongside Snowball Battle in Shivre City. Players will need to light up the festive tree that appears in the lobby by collecting lights earned through daily missions (up to 100 lights per day) and challenge missions (up to 750 lights per challenge mission). Collecting lights will unlock decorative items and bonuses, including a 1-Day Limited License: Alolan Ninetales, new Trainer fashion items, and other holiday-themed decorations (a different number of lights will be required to unlock each item).

Additionally, from December 24, 2021 until January 6, 2022, players can enjoy the new Photo Challenge, collecting snowflakes to complete a fun seasonal art piece. Players can obtain snowflakes by battling in standard matches, quick battles, ranked matches, and Snowball Battle in Shivre City.

From December 24, 2021 until January 1, 2022, players can log in to Pokémon UNITE to receive daily rewards, such as Aeos tickets and items enhancers, as well as special gifts containing a limited selection of items from which players can choose their favorite.

To celebrate the new year, for the first three days of 2022 (January 1 to January 3), players will also have access to every Unite license in the game, allowing them to play with any Pokémon at no cost (except in ranked matches). This is the perfect opportunity for new players and returning veterans to try out a Pokémon they haven’t before, testing their skills against other players from around the world.

Upcoming Updates:

• New Playable Pokémon—Tsareena: December 9, 2021
• Snowball Battle in Shivre City: December 15, 2021 – January 16, 2022
• Illumination Challenge: December 15, 2021 – January 16, 2022
• New Playable Pokémon—Dragonite: December 20, 2021
• Log-In Bonus Challenge: December 24, 2021 – January 1, 2022
• Photo Challenge: December 24, 2021 – January 6, 2022

YouTube Clip - Pokémon UNITE Holiday Festivities will be snow much fun!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgjgdMQHG-4