The Pokémon World Championships are over, but that doesn’t mean an end to Pokémon happenings! The event had a whole pile of fun announcements for little trainers, so kids can look forward to future releases in their favorite video games, trading card game, and more!
This year’s tournament took place in Yokohama, Japan, and featured competitors fighting to be the very best at Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, Pokémon GO, Pokémon Unite, and the Pokémon trading card game (TCG).
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet were the most recent video game releases in the ever-popular series of Pokémon roleplaying games. The games continue to release additional content, with The Hidden Treasure of Aera Zero Part 2: The Indigo Disk coming soon. Part 1, coming this fall, will let players travel to the land of Kitakami. Part 2 will continue this story, as players enter the roles of exchange students visiting the Blueberry Academy, a school under the ocean. The second part of the DLC will release this winter.
The first Pokémon strategic team battle game is adding three new fighters to the fray. Blaziken is scheduled to release this Sep. 14, and Mimikyu and Meowscarada will be coming after. Pokémon Unite was released in 2021 and features a departure from traditional Pokémon game experiences, being a multiplayer battle arena video game, similar in style to the well-known League of Legends. The game is free to play on Android, iOS, and the Nintendo Switch.
A new animated series is also hitting the scene, with Pokémon: Path to the Peak having its big debut during an Aug. 11 screening at the Championships. The series will follow a young player of the Pokémon TCG game as she rises in the world of competitive play with her Pokémon partner Oddish. The first episode is up on the official Pokémon Youtube Channel.
Finally, the World Championships can’t end without new information about the trading card game! During closing ceremonies, The Pokémon Company revealed brand-new card mechanics. Players will be able to collect and battle with Ancient and Future Pokémon such as Roaring Moon ex and Brute Bonnet. Ace Spec cards, first introduced in the Black & White series, will also be making a return to the Standard format next year.
The location of the next World Championships event has also been revealed, with plans for 2024 to take place in Honolulu, Hawaii. Due to the recent wildfires that have hit the state, The Pokémon Company has additionally pledged $200,000 to its partners at GlobalGiving through the Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fund. It will also be matching any employee donations to the cause.
The World Championships revealed the very best Pokémon trainers in the world of video games and trading cards. Hopeful trainers can mark their calendars and get ready for a future full of Pokémon!
