Pokemon GO turned out to be a global phenomenon post its release in 2016. Niantic’s free-to-play Pokemon title allowed players to move across their real-life surroundings to complete the in-game missions and register progress. The addictive gameplay is the reason behind the AR (augmented reality) mobile game’s success and relevance. Over almost seven years of existence, the game has evolved into a game with more stakes that allows players to compete online against each other in GBL (GO Battle League mode) against other trainers. Moreover, Pokemon GO is also an esports game as a part of the Pokemon Championship Series and the 2022 Pokémon World Championship.
A look at the competitive scenario of Pokemon GO
After being announced in the second half of 2021, Pokemon GO had its first-ever official tournament in April as a part of Pokemon’s competitive eSports tournaments, alongside other trading card and video game counterparts of the series. Play! Pokémon is the organization that manages the tournaments of multiple titles, especially the invite-based Pokemon World Championships.
Pokemon GO had its first World Championships event in 2022, and 2023 will mark the launch of the second-ever edition of the esports tournament, expected to happen in August this year. At the same time, per Pokemon’s official website, the Championship Series event for the free-to-play AR title will provide a shot at earning invitations to World Championships.
Pokemon GO Championship Series
To participate in the Championship Series, players must be above the age of digital consent (in their region) and have a Pokemon Trainer Club account, alongside a legal Pokemon team on their GO account. At the same time, one can locate the ongoing event using Pokemon’s official website. Great League is the format for the Pokemon GO Championship Series’ 2023 season, and players around the world can take part in the following kinds of events (per the availability in their home market)
- Pokemon GO challenges
- Regional Championships
- International Championships
- Pokemon Special Events
Regional Championships, International Championships, and Special Events will serve as qualifying events for the Worlds, offering travel awards and invites for the top-performing participants. Participation happens offline, and the event fee may vary per the tournament organizers.
According to the official Pokemon website, the players participating in International Championships and earning the top two spots will win invitation and travel awards to the 2023 World Championships. The players finishing in the third and fourth place will get an invitation to the Worlds event.
Similarly, the first-placed participant will get an invite and travel award for the top performer of Regional Championships and Special Events. At the same time, the second and third-place holders will only earn invitations.
Pokemon GO World Championships
Pokemon GO World Championships is the premier tournament, with 2023 scheduled in Yokohama, Japan, having been organized by Play! Pokemon. The Pokemon GO event might feature as many as 132 participants, with the first 24 placeholders earning from the prize pool of $47,000. The 2023 Pokemon World Championships will be a three-day event featuring tournaments of multiple games, including Pokemon GO. Furthermore, it will have a total prize pool of over half a million.