The Pokémon Company just announced a bunch of exciting events that will be taking place alongside the 2023 World Championships in Yokohama, Japan in August.
Although Japan may be far for some, many Pokémon players and fans from around the world will be traveling to Yokohama for the World Championships happening Aug, 11 to 13. Whether they’ll be there to compete in Scarlet and Violet VGC, TCG, or Pokémon Go, or to simply watch the games from the crowd, they might also get a chance to partake in the festivities being held in celebration of the year’s biggest tournament.
According to the Pokémon Worlds event page on June 19, there will be a Pokémon-themed summer festival, three live shows, and a Pokémon Center store with exclusive merch.
The Pokémon Matsuri Park event will be a festival at Yokohama’s Rinko Park with a variety of stalls to play games featuring Magikarp, Dondozo, and more. There will also be dancing and taiko drum performances.
Meanwhile, the three live shows will feature Pikachu and friends and promise to “touch your heart.” Two of the shows will be performed multiple times between Aug, 8 and 14, while the third, a dance parade, will only take place on the 14th to wrap up the festivities.
Arguably, the most exciting event for fans and collectors might be the Pokémon Center pop-up, which promises World Championships-exclusive merchandise. If the huge Pokémon Center pop-up at the Europe International Championships is any indication of what the one at Worlds might look like, fans are in for a treat.
For each event, including visiting the Pokémon Center, fans will need to apply through a lottery system found on the event page. Unfortunately, applying doesn’t guarantee you’ll be able to attend the events, so it’ll take a bit of luck.
In addition to all of these fun events, fans will be watching along as the VGC side of the tournament features a new Scarlet and Violet meta and perhaps a beloved player who hasn’t competed at Worlds since 2017.
