2023 Pokémon World Championships: Event, podium, animations and new mechanics!

We already had the closing ceremony for the Yokohama, Kanagawa (Japan) World Championship, which started on August 8th, 2023, and went on until August 13th, 2023 (according to local time). We'll discuss what happened at the event and what was announced, from competitors' classifications, prizes, to kits and many other curiosities.

And, to bring more excitement to competitors, and as this is the first time Japan hosts this type of event, The Pokémon Company shared a short animation with the TCG thematic:

Animation with English Voice Lines

Animation with Japanese Voice Lines

Hosted in Yokohama, at the convention center Pacifico Yokohama, the space there became almost like a theme park, with many attractions dedicated to the TCG and to Pokémon GO, Pokémon VGC and other leisure areas, besides stores with Pokémon Center products and many more.

And not only was the host house atmospheric, but also the public transport cards which brought competitors there:

Welcome Kit

The products are distributed in the following way, according to their positions:

First place:

- World Champion Trophy

- Champion Stamped Worlds Promo Card (with the corresponding rank)

- Top 8, Top 16 & Top 32 Stamped Worlds Promo Cards (Paradise Resort)

- Champion Hoodie

- Champion Playmat

- Champion Messenger Bag

- Champion Hat

- Top 8 Playmat

- Top 8 Hat

- Top 32 Hat

Second place:

- Finalist Trophy

- Finalist Stamped Worlds Promo Card (with the corresponding rank)

- Top 8, Top 16 & Top 32 Stamped Worlds Promo Cards (Paradise Resort)

- Top Trainer Messenger Bag

- Top 8 Playmat

- Top 8 Hat

- Top 32 Hat

Third and fourth place:

- Semifinalist Trophy

- Semifinalist Stamped Worlds Promo Card (with the corresponding rank)

- Top 8, Top 16 & Top 32 Stamped Worlds Promo Cards (Paradise Resort)

- Top Trainer Messenger Bag

- Top 8 Playmat

- Top 8 Hat

- Top 32 Hat

Fifth to eighth place:

- Top Trainer Messenger Bag

- Top 8, Top 16 & Top 32 Stamped Worlds Promo Cards (Paradise Resort)

- Top 8 Playmat

- Top 8 Hat

- Top 32 Hat

Ninth to sixteenth place:

- Top Trainer Messenger Bag

- Top 16 & Top 32 Stamped Worlds Promo Card (Paradise Resort)

- Top 32 Hat

Seventeenth to thirsty-second place:

- Top Trainer Messenger Bag

- Top 32 Stamped Worlds Promo Card (Paradise Resort)

- Top 32 Hat

(Source: The Pokémon Company official website.)

World Championships Yokohama Deck: Pikachu - ポケモンワールドチャンピオンシップス2023横浜 記念デッキ「ピカチュウ」

This deck is becoming an extremely coveted item by collectors, and only those who were at the tournament can get it - this product was sold by other people already, which was very polemic.

Pikachu Promo Card

Product Details

Trophies and Champion Cards and Prizes

- Champion Trophies

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- First place card:

- Second place card:

- Third place card:

- Promo card given at the event:

This card was given to everyone who made it to top 32, and for each rank, a different rank logo was placed on the card's corner, to show how far you made in the event.

About the Money Prizes

Pokémon TCG, VGC, Pokémon GO and Pokémon UNITE had prizes which surpassed US$1.000.000.

The format of the prize is dependent on the age of the recipient.

18 years of age and older:

1) Awards of $5,000 or more: Choice of scholarship or cash.

2) Awards under $5,000: Cash

Under 18 years of age:

1) Awards of $5,000 or more: Choice of scholarship or Pokémon Visa® prepaid card

2) Awards under $5,000: Pokémon Visa® prepaid card

Prizes per Ranking Positions

There was a very expressive number of players in all three categories (Junior, Senior and Master), and many Brazilian players actively participated in the competition, with the spotlight going to the Junior and Senior categories - in which Gabriel Fernandez (Senior) brought the trophy home!

Gabriel was already having excellent performances in his competitive journey, having these titles under his belt:

- São Paulo Regional Champion in Brazil (2023, Senior)

- Chile Regional Champion (2023, Senior)

- Porto Alegre Finalist in Brazil (2023, Senior)

Based on the official data published by The Pokémon Company official website, this was the total number of players at Worlds:

Keep in mind that, to enter Worlds, you need to, at least, get 200 points, so you can compete. Check out the competitors' numbers below:

Brazilian Players Points

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Junior Category

Senior Category

Master Category

- Mew VMax (by champion Vance Kelley).

- Gardevoir ex (by Tord Reklev).

- Lost Box (Giratinar-VStar)

- Lost Box (other variants)

- Chien-Pao ex

- Arceus VStar + Aggron VMax

- Origin Forme Palkia-VStar

- Lugia VStar + Wyrdeer V + Slaking V + Drapion V

- Inteleon VMax + Urshifu VMax

(Note: Data is still scarce so far.)

YouTube

First Day

Second Day

Finals

Twitch

You can keep up with the official Pokémon channel in the TCG category on Twitch, just remember that these recordings will only be available for one month.

Future and Ancient Mechanics in Cards

Based on the Paradox Pokémon, we have the new base set for Pokémon, known as Scarlet & Violet: Paradox Rift. You can check out more information about it here.

Return of ACE SPEC cards in 2024

After a long hiatus of Trainer cards in this category, ever since the Black & White era, ACE SPECs will return, and we hope to see a reprint of one of the best cards in the game: Computer Search BCR 137, just as we want to see more cards of this type, with new possibilities.

Announcement Video for the Mechanics

The announcement was made at the closing ceremony, teasing how the mechanics will be:

Limited until August 21st, 2023, you can claim the digital Charizard ex card, with only 100,000 cards available, by claiming the code CelebrateWCS23.

Get it before they run out!

And, again, The Pokémon Company decided to host the 2024 World Championships in Hawaii, as the season's final announcement.

What did you think of the news regarding the return of the ACE SPECs? And the Yokohama Worlds, what did you think of it?