By Ginx eSports
Pokémon is one of those eSports that has been ticking along for the longest of times, that combination of smart strategy and forward planning making it a modern day chess.
Despite that, though, it’s remained on the periphery, appealing to a dedicated audience but failing to garner little of a wider audience. It seems the Pokémon Company is looking to change that by changing things a little bit.
Both the Pokémon Trading Card Game and the latest version of the game, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, will let players compete for an additional $250,000.
But now players will compete for Championship Points as they attempt to qualify – through the regional rounds – for the international tournament at the end of the year.
This will create a better schedule for multiple events, and no longer employ a residency restriction – meaning pro players will be able to attend more than one event if they are able to.
On top of that, Play! Pokémon will now sanction third-party competitions, too, opening up for more opportunities to earn Championship Points for pro players – a necessity to help expand the pro scene outside of the handful of official events.
This can only ever lead to a much more robust Pokémon competitive scene and – all being well – open up the eSport to many more players. It’s good to see Play! Pokémon being objective about its tournament, and understanding what it needs to open the game up.