POKÉMON 2005 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IS RECORD SUCCESS
Championship Event Hosts 400 Players, Increases Attendance 35 Percent
BELLEVUE, Wash.-July 13, 2005-Pokémon USA, Inc., a worldwide leader in trading card games, today announced the results of the Pokémon® Trading Card Game (TCG) National Championships, which were held in Columbus, Ohio on July 2-3. With more than 400 players competing in this year's premier tournament, Pokémon Organized Play (POP) saw a 35 percent increase in attendance from the previous year, making it the most successful Pokémon TCG National Championship ever. On the final day of competition, POP awarded a total of 12 invitations and travel awards to 2005 World Championships, and $15,000 in scholarships to top finishers.
Pokémon TCG National Championships had weekend attendance of more than 1,000 and were held during the Origins International Game Expo. National Championships gave players the opportunity to earn a National Champion title while improving strategic skills, building creativity and making friends with peers from all over the U.S. The top four winners in each age category are headed to the Pokémon TCG World ChampionshipsTM at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center, San Diego on August 19-21. The Pokémon TCG World Championships is an invite-only event, and players must participate in a qualifying tournament to receive an invitation. A Last Chance Qualifier will take place at the World Championships venue on August 19.
"This has been a banner year thus far, and we are impressed with the level of excitement and energy at the 2005 National Championships," said Dave Schwimmer, Pokémon Organized Play Program Manager for Pokémon USA, Inc. "Seeing players and parents from all over the country come together in a positive environment reinforces the values that Pokémon Organized Play represents. We expect to see participation and enthusiasm continue to grow during World Championships and extend into our 2006 premier events season."
Players can get involved with Pokémon TCG by visiting
About Pokémon USA, Inc. and Pokémon Organized Play
Pokémon USA, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages and oversees the property outside of Asia, which includes licensing activities; brand promotions; publication of the trading card game; TV animation; home video entertainment; the official Pokémon website; the Pokémon Center NY in Rockefeller Center and Pokémoncenter.com, an e-commerce site. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 for play on Nintendo's Game Boy® and has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Pokémon was introduced in North America in September of 1998 and has since generated over $15 billion in worldwide sales. More than 38 million Pokémon video games have been sold in the U.S., including Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire, which were the #2 and #3 best-selling video games of 2003. The trading card game, fueled by organized play programs around the world, has spurred global sales of more than 13 billion cards to date, while the Pokémon animated series on Kids' WB!, now in its sixth season, consistently ranks within the top three shows for boys ages 6-11. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.