The Pokemon franchise might often be regarded by some as a sort of casual, trivial addiction for kids, but one glance at the Pokemon World Championships says otherwise. This past weekend, hundreds of competitors descended upon Waikoloa, Hawaii to test their hands at video games or cards. Their goal? To earn their share of $100,000 in scholarships, unique trophies, Pokemon-related prizes, or even the holiest of grails - the chance to appear as trainers in the upcoming Black 2 and White 2 games (due in North America this October).
Competitive play is actually a huge element of the Pokemon culture, and it has grown to encompass regional and national events throughout the world that take place all throughout the year. Here in the United States, Pokemon Company International hosts well over a dozen events in the fall and spring to allow players to qualify for a chance to make it to the World stage. More than a hundred of those best, split between three age divisions (Juniors, ages 11 or younger; Seniors, ages 12 - 15; Masters, ages 16 and up), and the card and game categories, are invited to that tournament, all expenses paid.
Pokemon can be serious business.
Every sport has its dominant players, and likewise the world of Pokemon has its icons. This year the spotlight in the final round of the video game Masters tournament fell on two well-known names in this community - Wolfe Glick, a two-time consecutive United States (national tournament) champion, and Ray Rizzo, a two-time consecutive World champion, back to defend his crown once more.
Rizzo’s intuitive understanding of Pokemon seems leagues above any other player at this point. With seldom a close call, he surged through the World tournament once again, extending his winning streak to an incredible three back-to-back World Championships. Soft-spoken and a bit shy, the New Jersey native, who turns 20 later this month, admitted he really only started focusing on assembling his team about a month ago, as college and acquiring an internship in the insurance industry has occupied all his attention for much of the past year.
Last year, Rizzo attempted to be unconventional with his team of Pokemon, using Gothitelle, Hydreigon, Thundurus, Escavelier, Terrakion and Conkeldurr. The shift from the Unova Pokedex (meaning only Pokemon that originated in Pokemon Black and White) to a National one (meaning all Pokemon, minus a select few) changed everything, shifting the Pokemon ‘meta-game’ as players found new combinations and strategies, both in their local playtest groups and online.
Players fight for glory... but also the gold.
Glick, who hails from Virginia and is three years younger than Rizzo, also noted the wider pool of eligible creatures radically shifted his thought process. In fact, despite the fact that he won the National tournament, second thoughts pushed Glick to change his entire team, opting to focus on bulkier, more defensive Pokemon versus a roster that “relied on surprises.” However Glick’s new strategy (using Hitmontop, Cresselia, Thundurus, Terrakion, Heatran and Exeggutor) was directly in line with Rizzo’s own thinking. When asked why he opts for heftier creatures, Rizzo replied that it’s mostly about minimizing luck, which can make all the difference in the world.
Preparation is everything in the competitive world of Pokemon, but while Rizzo and Glick made the bulk of their decisions in June, the organizers of the event had to start a bit earlier. In fact, before players even set foot in Hawaii, Pokemon Company had already determined where it would host the tournament in 2013 - Vancouver.
Coordinating these events is a massive undertaking that takes more than 18 months of planning. Simply ensuring there is enough floor space for 410 players from 30 countries, plus the judges and translators necessary to support two simultaneous tournaments across three days, is challenging enough. That also doesn’t account for hotels, transportation and food - or for the families that accompany many players on this journey, particularly considering the first day of the event hosts the ‘Last Chance Qualifiers’ for those willing to travel a great distance to try their luck at making it into the World tournament.
Rizzo (left, in the maroon sweatshirt) dispatches a competitor.
While the card game is supported by dozens of judges that are well-versed in various rules and minutiae, supporting the video game competitively required the participation of Pokemon developer GameFreak. In addition to creating special software that will check for illegal creatures, items and moves, the World Championships are supported by special tournament software that not only places a 15-minute limit on an individual match (opponents play for a best of three in each round), but a one-minute limit to input specific moves.
Pokemon Company hopes to eventually move some of its Worlds-ranked competition online, removing the burden of travel that might prevent some great players from finding a regional or national tournament. A number of obstacles still stand in the way of making that a reality (such as finding a way to maintain the age brackets), but the eventual goal is to make sure the World competition is supported by a massive field of eligible competitors. The scene is certainly growing - it is not uncommon for a National tournament to pull in a couple thousand players. But when a video game sells tens of millions, it’s easy to see why Pokemon Company dreams higher.
The Masters division battling begins.
As for Rizzo and Glick, neither one will let success or failure deter them from the future. Both plan to be at Worlds 2013. Both already have an automatic invitation to that event. Rizzo will no doubt attempt to stretch his already-unprecedented streak to a fourth consecutive win, something that would seem more difficult as a global audience witnesses and studies his style. And no doubt one of the players gunning for him will be Glick, who has now been eliminated two years in a row by Rizzo.
If there is any wonder why Pokemon endures after more than 15 years in the industry, it’s because it has the versatility to create something like the World Championship. Thousands of players, judges, volunteers and even the game’s developers, contribute to this annual event, which takes countless hours to execute. The caliber of competition is matched only by the sheer magnitude of the production. It is a spectacle to be seen, but for a few hundred exceptional players, it is so much more.
Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com
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