While at Pokémon EUIC 2025 in London, courtesy of a media pass provided by The Pokémon Company, I had the opportunity to join a panel of journalists and speak with Chris Brown—Director, Global Esports and Events Producer at Pokémon—to learn more about the event’s growth and where fans might see it go in the future.
EUIC was a record-breaking event this year, with unprecedented attendance levels for Pokémon Go, VGC, and TCG. Over 6,000 competitors registered from over 50 different countries and regions, with a staggering collective prize pool of over $500,000 across the TCG, VGC, Go, and UNITE.
I asked what the biggest contributing factor to this explosive rise in attendance had been, and Brown noted that it hadn’t been just one thing in particular. He acknowledged the stellar community, family-friendly atmosphere, and word-of-mouth recommendations as important parts of the championship scene puzzle.
He added that his team had significantly invested in the broadcast aspect of competitive Pokémon, saying that the consistency of the event schedule and the high-quality broadcasts that accompanied them helped take the championships to new heights.
The conversation continued down this path, with Brown being asked what he’d like to see changed or improved over the next five years to help keep major events like EUIC on the same trajectory that they’ve been on so far.
He noted that every game came with its own unique challenges that would need to be overcome to see continued growth in championship events.
Pokémon Go, for example, requires a large investment into the provided equipment, while the VGC events need a solid network connection. Meanwhile, the TCG events need precise time management, the right number of staff members to support the players, and the ideal game bracket format.
This is all in addition to managing event locations and capacity, which appear to present a slew of challenges in their own right. He finished by saying, “We’re always trying to think … Hey, how do we hit 20 to 30 percent growth?”
When asked about growing the non-competitive side of Pokémon events, Chris shared that it was something the team was looking to expand, hoping to provide even more options for casual fans, competitive players’ families, and other attendees who might have just popped in for a Pokémon Center visit.
He acknowledged the Pokémon TCG artist signings and panels from the weekend’s festivities as a stand-out example, naming other fun events and attractions that’d been showcased over the weekend, like origami workshops, face-painting, and fairground games.
Finishing up, he summarized, “The brand is so rich, and there’s so much we can do with it… Our mission is to bring the world together through Pokémon, and increasingly, the event’s mission is to bring the world of Pokémon together.”
EUIC was a spectacular experience, as both a journalist and lifelong Pokémon fan. It’ll be incredible to see how the event grows and expands even further as the years roll on, welcoming even more people to the community by offering a wider variety of options.
Published: Feb 23, 2025 10:52 PM UTC