Pokémon Worlds Championships 2022: the huge return of Pokémon's biggest tournament

London had to wait 2 years to be able to host the ultimate Pokémon party. After its announcement in 2019 in Washington D.C. and prior to the release of Sword and Shield, Pokémon fans and competitors were finally able to gather at the franchise's biggest event, which has been searching for its champions since 2004. Like the pocket monsters, the event has evolved to be the ultimate venue for fans of the franchise. After 4 days of competitions, announcements, and lots of Pokémon at the ExCeL London Convention Centre, here's what it was like to experience the Pokémon World Championships 2022.

What are the Pokémon World Championships?

To begin with, let's quickly talk about the origins of this event. Started in 2004, the Pokémon World Championships began exclusively as a Trading Card Game tournament, until 2009, when the video game in turn became the other main trophy of the competition. These tournaments divide contestants into three different categories, making age the only barrier between players. For 2019, London became a major announcement, as it would be the first venue outside of North America. The two-year wait inadvertently allowed the event to become highly anticipated and even bigger, adding the most games to date, and expanding the total number of days of the event to four, bringing together the greater Pokémon community to not only watch competitions, but to meet other members.

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Arrival at Victory Road

Although the main focus of the Pokémon World Championship has always been the Trading Card Game and the video game (in this edition with Sword and Shield), this time the list of games grew to five. The Pokémon Go battle that started as an exhibition event in 2019 finally found its place in London. Pokémon Unite, the MOBA launched just a year ago, made its first appearance. However, it wasn't all new games, one of these had its farewell, being the last Pokkén tournament since its arrival in 2016.

The tournaments were held throughout the 4 days of competitions, and although at the beginning the main floor of ExCeL London seemed very quiet, the number of competitors and attendees from all over the world was increasing, seeking to advance through the different categories and games, until finally filling the main stage for the grand finals, in very different clashes between them.

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A place for fans

In addition to enjoying the competitive environment, fans of the event were able to enjoy experiences in their time at ExCeL London. Just outside the Convention Center was the small Pokémon Worlds Square, which in the style of a small fair, you could perform various activities such as taking pictures with Pikachu and Eevee, enjoy themed food, or even have your face painted with one of the symbols of the game. On the other hand, fans were able to enjoy the screening of Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles, a special episode of the anime that returns Ash and company to the Sinnoh region, prior to its premiere on Netflix. To make the screening even more special, a parade of Pikachus took viewers by surprise.

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Pokémon Center, the dream of every fan

As is to be expected at fan events, memorabilia couldn't fail to make an appearance. The Pokémon Center Pop-up that was part of the Excel London was the largest at a World Championship with an impressive array of event memorabilia ranging from T-shirts, jackets, magnets, figurines, plushies and themed socks to more classic items like plushies or regular T-shirts, to collectibles like skateboards to replica Pokeballs priced at over £100. All this, along a huge themed aisle that took us into the Pokémon world as if we were visiting different London districts, ready to leave the wallet.

Pokémon World Championships 2023 to be held in Japan

Everything that has a beginning, has an end, but fortunately Pokémon fans and competitors know where they'll have to head next year (if there isn't a health restriction again). As part of the closing ceremony and part of the event's major announcements, Pokémon World Championships 2023 will head to Japan for the first time, to the city of Yokohama.

We bid farewell to London (and in Pokémon, to Galar), looking forward to what the next generation has in store for us with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, with a change in mechanics, metagame and the arrival of new Pokémon.