The 2024 Pokémon World Championships: A Tropical Tournament Experience

We have returned from what some call paradise on earth, but for others, it was the center of the Pokémon world for a few days. Last weekend, we witnessed the 2024 Pokémon World Championships, which brought together the best of the best trainers. The experience, as always, was different from other editions, showing that evolution is an undeniable part of the brand’s DNA. Here are our impressions.

E Komo Mai’ (Welcome)

Honolulu, Hawaii has been the announced location since last year, when we said goodbye to the amazing experience we had in Yokohama, Japan. What is a Pokémon event in a tropical land like? Fortunately, very well. On the one hand, we had great weather, and on the other hand, the lessons learned by The Pokémon Company from previous tournaments were taken into account, in addition to returning to these islands after 12 years since the last tournament was held here.

One thing we noticed from the moment we arrived was that, unlike Yokohama, the brand’s presence around the event was not as visible, but we still saw signs welcoming trainers at certain convenience stores. The host hotel also had a series of activations, such as Trainer Town, which gave us the opportunity to preview Pokémon Center merchandise, as well as an opening ceremony where the traditional Hawaiian Lei was handed over to The Pokémon Company executives and Pikachu himself to ensure a successful event. The Trainer Town also offered other activities, such as Pokémon meet-and-greets, dancing lessons, and even TCG play, so that attendees could learn more about the modality.

Beyond the convention center, we also had the opportunity to see the drone show that lit up the Honolulu nights during the tournament. I have to admit that it did not have the same production values as the Yokohama show, where even Pikachus came out to dance among the attendees. But as a show to watch from the beach or a hotel room, it was an experience that did not disappoint.

A world beyond competition

One of the things that stood out this year was the number of activities that were not related to the tournament itself. On this occasion, The Pokémon Company used some of the halls at the Hawai’i Convention Center to offer something extra to all participants.

Of particular note were the art rooms, such as the gallery where we were able to see the 100 finalists of the most recent Pokémon TCG Art Contest. On the other hand, there were designated areas for fans to meet artists and brand managers in an autograph session. Other areas were dedicated to the purchase and sale of merchandise and products related to the brand, including, of course, some of the emblematic characters that have been with us for years. One of the most special events that took place at the Pokémon World Championships was a special area for watching Pokémon: The First Movie, as well as a tour of new episodes in the recently released Pokémon Horizons series.

Another special place was the museum dedicated to the history of the tournament, with objects of the competitors, exclusive stuffed animals, as well as an area where former champions came to talk about their exploits, set in a theater that showed special moments of each tournament. Finally, the Genki Ball Workshop, part of a project to clean the Ala Wai Canal with special mud balls.

And, of course, I can’t close without mentioning the Pokémon Center, which, as always, raised the bar for those “I didn’t know I needed” items that Pokémon fans will want in their homes or, in this case, to show off on the beach, as there were everything from the simplest and most discreet, like sandals, shorts, and short-sleeved shirts, to more extravagant items that screamed “Pokémon!” everywhere, like a giant Lapras inflatable.

Farewell to the global Pokémon Worlds?

In recent years, the Pokémon World Championships have taken off. By taking the event outside of the United States, it grew in every way, from the number of participants to the activities surrounding the event and, of course, the items in the store. After an adventure that took the tournament to England and Japan, Hawaii still felt like an exotic destination. Now, The Pokémon Company is bringing the tournament back to Anaheim and San Francisco, ending the world tour, but will the tournament tour end here?

No doubt, we will miss the idea of exotic locations for future tournaments, but the growth that the largest Pokémon competitive event in the world has experienced is one that cannot be stopped. We just have to wait and see what the experience in California will be like, and how these new venues will be able to continue and improve on what we have seen over the past two years.