The Pokémon Company is once again looking to bring local events back to the Pokémon Championship series in 2023, with a return date potentially happening as early as January.
This news comes from an email sent out from The Pokémon Company to Professors, players who have been certified and act as a governing body for tournaments at various levels, which confirmed stores would be eligible to host events “beginning in January 2023,” according to PokéBeach.
Local events that give out Championship Points to help players qualify for the Pokémon World Championships have been suspended since March 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Physical events returned only at the larger regional and international levels earlier this year in the lead-up to the 2022 Pokémon World Championships in August.
For players, this is going to be a massive relief; it will allow for many additional chances at Championship Points for those who might be unable to travel as frequently as established competitors. Additional news on upcoming events and rulings should be shared in the coming months too.
It appears the January return is set in stone, as TPC noted stores will be eligible and need to report League play at least once between September and November to retain eligibility for hosting Play Pokémon sanctioned events in 2023. This will also cover those local shops’ ability to receive League materials and other prize support too, according to PokéBeach.
We also already knew video game tournaments would not be returning to the 2023 Championship series until January, since it will give players some time to adjust to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The new games, which release on Nov. 18, will be the official games of competitive Pokémon VGC effective January 2023, and TPC wants to ensure players have time to get used to the game’s mechanics, build their teams, and prepare for competitions.
Published: Sep 1, 2022 04:43 pm