St. Louis Will Host Thousands at the Pokémon Winter Regional Championships

Pokémon Trading Card Game and Video Game Players Will Compete for a

Trip to the 2013 Pokémon U.S. National Championships

BELLEVUE, WASH.—January 4, 2013—Thousands of Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and video game players, their supporters, and Pokémon fans from around the Midwest will converge on St. Louis the weekend of January 19th and 20th for the 2013 Pokémon Winter Regional Championships. Competitors will be vying for the coveted title of Pokémon Winter Regional Champion and travel awards to the 2013 Pokémon U.S. Nationals Championships, taking place July 5th–7th in Indianapolis, Indiana. St. Louis, known for its strong Pokémon community and proximity to Pokémon competitors and fans throughout the region, is one of five U.S. cities hosting the Pokémon Winter Regional Championships this year.

Competitors from Kansas City, Chicago, Indianapolis, and elsewhere are expected to make the trip to St. Louis to attend the open event held at the St. Charles Convention Center. Pokémon TCG and video game participants from three age divisions will compete at the family-friendly event. The Pokémon Winter Regional Championships is one step competitors take down the road to the 2013 Pokémon World Championships held this August in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Top finishers at the Winter Regional Championships will earn Championship Points, which count towards a potential invitation to the world-class event where players from over 30 nations will compete for the title of Pokémon World Champion.

“The Pokémon Winter Regional Championships is a great opportunity for Pokémon TCG and video game players throughout the Midwest region to come together and have fun playing the game they love,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “The Midwest has some of the best and most dedicated Pokémon players in the U.S., and we’re excited to be coming to town.”

The 2013 Pokémon TCG Winter Regional Championships will begin Saturday, January 19th, while the Pokémon Video Game Winter Regional Championships will take place in their entirety on Sunday, January 20th. Players of all ages and skill levels in good standing are encouraged to participate. The Winter Regional Championships are held using a Swiss tournament format, which guarantees players the opportunity to play in multiple rounds, no matter what their win-loss record is.

Visit www.pokemon.com/play to learn more about the tournament rules, regulations, prizes, and registration times as well as other tournaments taking place throughout the Midwest. Be sure to Like the official Pokémon Facebook page at Facebook.com/Pokemon and follow Pokémon on Twitter @Pokemon for the latest Pokémon news and fun!

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About Pokémon

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.