Pokemon National Championships Will Put Fans to the Test

The Pokemon Company International has announced in a press release today the dates for 2015’s Pokemon World Championships, which will be preceded by the European National Championships. Taking place in over 40 countries, professional and amateur Pokemon players alike will uses their 3DS and Pokemon cards to take a shot at winning scholarships and prizes worth $2 million, along with a secured spot at this year’s 12th annual Pokemon World Championships.

The European Video Game and Trading Card Game Combined National Championships (bit of a mouthful) will kick off in May for both Germany and the United Kingdom. Italy will have its nationals in June. The German tournament will take place in Stuttgart on Saturday, May 16th through to Sunday, May 17th at the Carl Benz Arena. The United Kingdom’s will go live later on that month, on Saturday, May 30th until Sunday, May 31st at EventCity in Manchester. Finally, Italy’s nationals are set to begin in Assago on Saturday, June 13th and end on Sunday, June 14th at Mediolanum Forum.

Trading Card Game Nationals have als been scheduled for France, the Netherlands and the Nordics (along with other countries that have yet to be finalized), but it was unspecified whether or not the Video Game Nationals will take place in these places as well. The press release advises any interested Pokemon player to “hone their video game and TCG skills online by playing Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire … and by playing the Pokémon TCG Online on their computer or iPad.”

“This is a great time for the best TCG and video game players in Europe to engage, battle, and show off their skills with other Trainers in the vibrant competitive circuit from countries all over the globe,” commented the director of The Pokemon Company International’s consumer marketing branch, J.C. Smith. “It is exciting to see this supportive international community continue to grow.”

The rules for the Pokemon Video Game World Championships were changed towards the end of last year, in preparation of this year’s tournaments. The new rules command that all participants will have to battle on Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire. Further details on the new rules can be found on the official Pokemon website. The 12th annual Pokemon World Championships will be held in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday, August 21st through to Sunday, August 23rd.