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Pokémon is renowned as the most valuable media franchise in the world. While it began as a video game series, its reach has expanded into a sprawling trading card game, countless merchandise items, an enduring animated series, and surprisingly, a distinctive approach to esports.
Each year, Pokémon hosts its World Championship, a major event that brings together the best Pokémon trainers from around the globe. This championship isn’t just about battling in the core video games like Scarlet and Violet but also includes competitions in Pokémon GO, Pokémon UNITE, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG). The location of the championship rotates annually among Europe, the Americas, and Asia. After a hiatus due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the championships were held in London in 2022, Yokohama, Japan in 2023, and recently concluded in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
The Pokémon World Championship is notable for its massive scale and the unique experience it offers fans. This year, all tickets sold out, and the event saw incredible turnout for both ticketed and free-to-the-public activities, with attendees queuing for hours under the Hawaiian sun. The event features not only the main competitions but also anime screenings, trading card game demonstrations, video game tryouts, and the highly popular Pokémon Center. The Pokémon Center is a temporary store where fans eagerly line up for exclusive merchandise, with entry slots often fully booked within minutes.
Unlike many esports events, the Pokémon World Championship incorporates multiple game disciplines simultaneously. The main stage is divided into sections for each discipline—video games, trading cards, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE—with each section having its own casters and set-up. This setup allows each game to shine while maintaining a cohesive event experience.
The championship also emphasizes inclusivity, with competitions divided into Junior, Senior, and Masters divisions, catering to players as young as 10 years old. This approach ensures that younger players can compete in a safe environment against peers of similar age, with the potential to become world champions at a young age. Chris Brown, Global Esports Director at The Pokémon Company International, highlights the importance of fostering long-term engagement with the franchise: “By grouping our junior, senior, and master’s divisions, we’re able to ensure that players of roughly the same cognitive level are competing against each other. If you have success early, then hopefully, you’ll keep playing Pokémon and be part of our community for the long term.”
The Pokémon World Championship also stands out for its sustainability and the absence of traditional sponsorships. The event’s financial support comes from within the Pokémon ecosystem itself, ensuring that all events and activities are funded without external commercial pressures. This self-sustaining model allows the championship to focus purely on celebrating Pokémon in all its forms, from video games to trading cards.
In addition to the main championship, regional and national events across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, and South Africa provide further opportunities for players to compete. These events offer significant prize pools, with the World Championship alone featuring a $2 million prize pool, including $500,000 for the Pokémon UNITE world champions.
Overall, the Pokémon World Championship has evolved from a niche competitive event into a grand celebration of all things Pokémon. It combines competitive gaming with fan engagement in a unique way, ensuring that the Pokémon brand remains at the heart of the experience. Whether as competitors, spectators, or collectors, fans leave the event with lasting memories and a continued connection to the world of Pokémon.