The 2023 Pokémon World Championships, hosted by The Pokémon Company International, drew to a close yesterday following three days of intense matches and friendly competition in Yokohama, Japan. The best Trainers from around the world attended the annual event to take part in the premier tournament for Pokémon video games and the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG). This year’s event featured the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet video games, the Pokémon TCG, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE. More than 10,000 players and fans from around the globe gathered at the PACIFICO Yokohama Convention Center for the world’s most prestigious Pokémon event. Winners of each division can be found here.
In addition to crowning this year’s top competitive Pokémon players, new announcements and experiences were revealed across the brand. Highlights follow:
Ancient and Future Pokémon, ACE SPEC Cards Coming Soon to the Pokémon Trading Card Game
During the closing ceremonies on August 13, The Pokémon Company group also unveiled new cards and mechanics for the best-selling Pokémon TCG. Beginning fall 2023, Trainers can look forward to seeing Ancient and Future Pokémon in the Pokémon TCG, including Roaring Moon ex, Iron Valiant ex, and illustration rare versions of Brute Bonnet and Iron Moth. In addition, ACE SPEC cards, which were first introduced in the Black & White Series, will return to Standard format in 2024. More details will be shared in the future.
First Partner Pokémon from Previous Titles Appear in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 2: The Indigo Disk
New details about The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero for Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet were also revealed during the closing ceremonies. First partner Pokémon from previous titles in the core Pokémon series will appear in the Terarium housed within Blueberry Academy, the setting of Part 2: The Indigo Disk. The Terarium is a facility that re-creates a variety of biomes—from the tropics to icy seas—where many different Pokémon live and thrive in the environment best suited to them. Trainers will also be able to battle these Pokémon to try adding them to their team, and they’ll be able to see how the Terastal phenomenon—familiar to those who have played Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet—affects these Pokémon. A nineteenth Tera Type and upcoming connectivity with Pokémon HOME were also announced. More information can be found here.
Pokémon UNITE Update
Three Pokémon are scheduled to join the fray in Pokémon UNITE: Blaziken, Mimikyu, and Meowscarada. Blaziken is scheduled to join the fray on September 14, and details on Mimikyu and Meowscarada’s debuts on Aeos Island will be coming soon. More information about Pokémon UNITE can be found here.
“Pokémon: Path to the Peak”
The Pokémon Company International debuted a new animated series titled “Pokémon: Path to the Peak” during a special August 11 screening at the 2023 Pokémon World Championships. In this new series, viewers will follow Ava and her partner Pokémon, Oddish, on their journey to rise to the top in the world of competitive Pokémon Trading Card Game play. Fans around the world can watch the first episode now on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.
2024 Pokémon World Championships Location
The location of the 2024 Pokémon World Championships was also announced during the closing ceremony on Sunday evening. Trainers from around the world can look forward to the next exciting Pokémon World Championships to be held in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
“Our hearts go out to all those who have been impacted by the devastating wildfires in Hawai’i, said Colin Palmer, vice president of Premier Events at The Pokémon Company International. “Our priority is to aid children, families, and their affected communities. To support relief efforts, The Pokémon Company International is making an immediate monetary donation of $200,000 to its partners at GlobalGiving through their Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fund.”
To learn more about GlobalGiving’s local relief efforts and to join in supporting, please visit https://www.globalgiving.org/pokemon/.
In addition, The Pokémon Company International will also be matching employee donations dedicated to Hawai’i wildfire relief efforts.