The Orlando Regional Championship made history as the biggest official Pokémon event ever. The Pokémon Company heard what players said and is changing the VGC event format.
New Changes to Event Formats
In Orlando, 780 players battled it out in the VGC. Even with a strong 8-2 record, some missed the top cut based on their opponents. This event’s size meant a long 14-hour day for players on day two. They waited until 10:45 pm for standings and then had to check their Pokémon’s legitimacy before the next day’s 7:45 am start.
This long day and the risk of missing the top cut frustrated players across all skill levels. They loved the event but wanted changes to prevent these issues as competitive Pokémon grows.
Now, The Pokémon Company and its event organizers have changed to a two-day tournament format, just like Pokémon TCG events. This new plan will avoid 10-round days by making day one shorter. On day two, anyone with 19 match points or the top 32 players, whichever is more, will continue.
What This Means for Players
Players will face between 3 and 9 rounds of Swiss on day one. Those with 19 match points move to day two for an extra 5 to 6 rounds. If there are less than 227 players, there might be no Swiss rounds on day two, but a top 8 cut.
This change means players get more rest between competition days. It could improve the quality of gameplay on day two. Players may stick around longer, hoping to improve their day-one results, depending on turnout. Plus, the broadcast team can stream more games from top players, many of which were missed in previous formats due to time limits.
You can see these new rules in the official Pokémon VGC and TCG rulebook. They apply to upcoming Knoxville and Bochum Regionals.
These adjustments aim to make competitions better for everyone. Players get a better shot at potential success, and fans can enjoy more high-stakes matches. The Pokémon Company’s efforts to listen and adapt show their commitment to the community’s happiness and the sport’s future.