Pokemon Unite dataminers reveal Dodrio will be gem locked for a short time

On September 14, 2022, Pokemon Unite received the first Speedster Pokemon since its launch. Dodrio has arrived as part of the game's playable roster, but there's a catch for trainers hoping to obtain it.

Pokemon Unite players who have logged in on September 14 or later have likely noticed that Dodrio doesn't have an Aeos Coin pricing in the in-game shop. At the moment, the fast-running Pokemon can only be obtained via Aeos Gems, which must be obtained through microtransactions using real currency.

Fortunately, dataminers have determined that this particular paywall is not permanent, and patient trainers will be able to purchase Dodrio's Unite License with Aeos Coins in the near future.

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Datamined details reveal information about Dodrio's paywall in Pokemon Unite

Dodrio in the Pokemon select menu (Image via WadaGames/Youtube)

Pokemon Unite players who may be disgruntled by the game's paywall likely won't need to wait long for it to get removed. According to dataminers (who had their findings posted recently to Reddit by u/Sodaim), Dodrio's Unite License will be available for 14,000 Aeos Coins approximately one week after its release.

The dataminer's leaked image appears to state that Dodrio will be purchaseable with Aeos Coins on September 22, 2022 at 12:00 am UTC. While this information should be taken with a pinch of salt, it has made more than a few trainers in the community hopeful that they won't have to obtain the Speedster with real-world money.

The alleged release date datamine (Image via u/Sodaim/Reddit)

While some players on the Reddit post were happy that Dodrio could eventually be obtained with Aeos Coins, other members of the Pokemon Unite community weren't thrilled with its coin price.

Most new Unite Licenses cost anywhere between 10,000 to 12,000 Aeos Coins, but Dodrio's price of 14,000 Aeos Coins is a incredibly steep. Considering Aeos Coins take quite some time to grind out and receive, it's natural for trainers to be a little disheartened. After having to wait to obtain Dodrio without real-world money, trainers will have to pay a particularly high Aeos Coin price.

Since its inception, Pokemon Unite has received its fair share of criticism pertaining to paid content. While some players don't mind shilling out a few dollars here and there to obtain what they're after, the game has been accused of being "pay-to-win" and placing events and in-game content behind Aeos Gem requirements. Though microtransactions are often the norm in mobile titles, that doesn't protect them from scrutiny by players if they feel the cost is unreasonable.

At any rate, Pokemon Unite trainers who are willing to pay the 14,000 Aeos Coin cost will likely be glad to know that they won't have to wait long to obtain Dodrio's Unite License. Free-to-play trainers will only lose a week of practice time compared to those who purchased it with Aeos Gems. This isn't an insurmountable skill gap to overcome, and according to Tencent and The Pokemon Company, Dodrio won't be an easy Speedster to learn. It's the first of its kind since Pokemon Unite was released, and trainers will have to invest quite some time to master the Triple Bird Pokemon.