Team Peru Unite made history in Anaheim, California by defeating Japan’s powerhouse Zeta Division 3-1 to lift the Pikachu Cup at the Pokémon World Championships 2025. With this victory, Peru becomes the first Latin American country ever to claim a world title in this video game.
For those unfamiliar, Pokémon Unite is a free-to-play online strategy game in the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre, available on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices. Two teams of five players face off, each controlling Pokémon with unique abilities and roles. The objective is to coordinate strategies, control the map, outplay rivals, and score more points than the opposing team.
After their August 17 victory, the champions shared a heartfelt message on Instagram: “After months of training, sacrifices, laughter, frustrations, and shared dreams, today we can say it with our hands on our hearts: we did it. From Peru to the world, we raise the title of Pokémon Unite World Champions 2025. This is not just our triumph—it’s a victory for the entire community that supported us in every match, every stream, and every message of encouragement.”
The message ended with a promise: “This trophy is for you, to prove that dreams come true when there is passion, discipline, and teamwork. And this is just the beginning of our story.”
The team also wanted to clear up some rumors. “We didn’t win two million dollars, the prize was $100,000,” joked Jeremy Rivas (Tempo) in an interview with RPP. The prize is split among the five teammates—young players between 16 and 20 years old, who are now seen as esports pioneers in Latin America.
From Top 8 to World Champions
Peru Unite’s path to glory wasn’t built overnight. They reached the top 8 in 2023 and climbed to the top 4 in 2024. This year, perseverance finally paid off. “We practiced four hours every day, two in the afternoon and two at night, against competitive teams from around the world,” explained Tempo.
Their semifinal was a turning point against Luminosity Gaming, a team that had eliminated them twice before. “That was the thorn in our side. When we beat them, I felt the title was finally ours,” admitted José Arias (Anemo).
In the grand final, strategy made the difference. “They always grouped up as four and left one behind. We decided to play the opposite way, and it worked,” said Áxel Rivas (Khea).
Breaking stereotypes
Beyond the trophy, the win challenges misconceptions about gaming. “The biggest barrier is prejudice. Many think we’re just wasting time, but this is about discipline, strategy, and teamwork,” Tempo emphasized.
For now, Peru Unite doesn’t have sponsors, but they’re open to opportunities. “You can find us on Instagram at @peru-gg. We want brands to join this dream,” said Bartolo.
While the Peruvian gaming community celebrates, the champions are already looking ahead. With monthly qualifiers leading up to next year’s event, their sights are set on defending the crown in 2026.
“This championship proves that Peru has the talent to compete at the highest level,” concluded Anemo.
This article was written by Diego Lopez Marina and originally appeared on Peru Reports. It was re-published with permission.
