Latest news with #ThePokémonCompanyInternational
Metro
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Pokémon North American International Championships 2025 report
The final national stage of the Pokémon championship season has ended with a tense showdown between US and Canadian teams. Pokémon competitive play reached fever pitch at this year's North America International Championships (NAIC), which was held in New Orleans last weekend and saw record numbers of competitors. The event is a vital checkpoint for Pokémon pros en route to the 2025 World Championships, and is the last chance for competitive Pokémon players aiming for the World Championships, to be held in Anaheim Californian in August. The fact that the Grimmsnarl ex deck – with its spooky VooDoo green and purple card art – from the new and extremely popular Destined Rivals set was the talk of the meta couldn't have been more fitting for The Big Easy. The Pokémon World Championships began in 2004 and focused primarily on the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), but it has since grown to include dedicated competitions for Pokémon video games, such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon Go, and Pokémon Unite. Every year, as a precursor to what is known to competitors as Worlds, Pokémon players from around the globe battle it out for the chance to earn championship points for both the TCG and Video Game Championships (VGC). I spoke to Chris Brown, Director of Global Esports and Events Producer at The Pokémon Company International, on how to make these events easily accessible to viewers at home: 'New for this event we have, for the first time, built in closed captions, but not just closed captions in English, we've also generated them in French, Italian, German, and Spanish. 'I think that's super important too, because it makes the game more accessible. Maybe you start to play again as you're watching somebody play online, you start to feel like you're almost in one community with them. 'We're constantly playing with those things and trying to evolve. Going past that, we have things like Twitch drops, viewer rewards… we've given a little carrot out there for you maybe to load the game up and bring somebody back into the game who hasn't played it for a little while. We're constantly playing with those things and trying to evolve the viewership and the at-home experience for our fans.' Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. NAIC 2025 saw over 6,2000 competitors, registered from over 50 countries (including 40 from the UK), in what is now the largest Pokémon tournament outside of Asia. In these highly competitive tournaments, each game has its own format and set of rules, including different divisions for pros, seniors, and juniors. Cash prizes are determined based on the amount of players in each tournament, with a prize pool of over $500,000 (£371,000). In order to qualify for the Pokémon TCG World Championships, a player must earn an invitation by gaining enough championship points by the end of the competitive season, through placing high enough or winning official Pokémon tournaments. After a busy initial two days of competitive play, Sunday saw an early start for the MOBA style Pokémon Unite and the Final Stretch competition, where Team Luminosity (Canada) did it again in their third win in a row this year and one of the most brutal eSports matches I've ever seen. The score at one point was 1,231 to 11 and sometimes it looked personal between these two North American teams. Sean 'Slash' Tucker, captain of Luminosity, told me: 'It's incredible to win all three ICs so fa,r for Pokémon Unite, but we're not done making history.' Things slowed right down for the final of Pokémon Go, which came down to a best of five featuring two North American players: 'Unstoppable' Ilqm and ItsAXN – with the Lapras vs. Lapras showdown we all wanted to see. Former World Champion ItsAXN proved superior, with a 3-0 sweep to become the first Pokémon Go trainer to win two international competitions. From the kitchen table to the TCG Juniors Final, things took an adorable and unique turn with two siblings, Annabelle and Kenji Oono, facing off after a special family handshake. Dragapult ex reigned supreme with Annabelle beating her brother but giving him a consolatory hug. I spoke to Annabelle just after her win: 'It felt amazing, it felt like a dream because it's just so hard to get to this goal and it felt like we've both won.' TCG Masters saw championship staple Gardevoir ex come to the fore, as two North American players went head-to-head. Riley McKay vs. Isaiah Bradner was extremely close, as they pulled out plenty of Munkidori for psychic damage with VooDoo Mind Bend and Adrena-Brain abilities. Bradner pushed for the win, combining consistency, tech utility, and matchup resilience, which should serve as a blueprint for top-tier players heading into Worlds. In an exciting turn of events for European competitors, the Masters video game final was completely dominated by Italian players this year. While Marco took early terrain control, ultimately Frederico Camporesi, with his fairy electric Miradion/Lunala core, took the championship with another Miraidon win and an impressive prize of $15,000 (£11,000). So, this year strangely enough a European won the North American Championship, and an American won the European Championship. I spoke to Rose Gregson, in attendance from the UK and competing in TCG Masters, who ranked in the top eight at the Latin America International Championships. 'The Pokémon TCG community is gaining an incredible amount of new players very quickly, and I believe the Pokémon company is doing a good job of matching those expectations,' she said. 'Something that would support players of all levels would be the official Pokémon company hiring pro players to create educational content in how to improve at the game for the official channel, such as the recent WolfeyVGC and Cybertron collaboration stream they did for the VGC Grand Challenge. 'A similar idea on the official Pokémon stream would be during stream downtime to get players to review their own official stream matches, so they can walk through why they made the decisions they did. From the meta continuously evolving in a positive direction, I have hope that the three-prize Pokémon won't be as good as they previously were, however only time can tell from if they have learnt from past mistakes.' 'My favourite Pokemon currently is between Jolteon and Origin Form Magearna, however it changes all the time, with Gardevoir and Palafin in a close second!' During the event, there was a chance for North American players and spectators to visit the pop-up Pokémon Center, which was themed around the Year of Eevee celebration and packed with those keen to get their hands on some exclusive merchandise featuring Psyduck and Ogerpon. Personally, I was saving my pennies for the Worlds retro style merch, featuring a 1950s drive-in aesthetic. More Trending In addition to the Pokémon Center pop-up store, there were big queues for the origami workshop, board game area, and Play Lab – which allowed fans and visitors to learn the basics of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, and which for taking part you received a beautiful Glaceon pin. It's going to be a busy summer for trading card games, Star Wars Unlimited Galactic Championships is just around the corner, held for the first time in Las Vegas this July, and Disney's Lorcana World Championship is just a couple of weeks away, at the end of June. It's being held at Walt Disney World but is somewhat of a low-key affair, with only the 28 qualifying players invited and no public or press invites. There's nothing low key about Pokémon these days though, from the spectacular opening ceremony of NAIC, which showcased the best of Mardi Gras, to the increasing global recognition. Now all the Worlds slots have been filled, and the metagame continues to evolve, as the fierce matches, breakout decks, and format defining plays have finally paved the road to Anaheim. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: PS5 is more profitable than all other PlayStation consoles combined MORE: Every Nintendo Switch 2 launch game reviewed – all 25 games so far MORE: Switch 2 third party games sold 'below our lowest estimates' says publisher
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
POTTERY BARN KIDS LAUNCHES DEBUT COLLABORATION WITH GLOBALLY BELOVED ENTERTAINMENT BRAND POKÉMON
The New Children's Home and Accessory Collection Celebrates World Famous Pokémon SAN FRANCISCO, June 06, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pottery Barn Kids, portfolio brand of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM), the world's largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, today announced a collaboration with The Pokémon Company International to launch a new home and accessory collection featuring fan-favorite Pokémon. Since its debut in 1996, Pokémon has become a global phenomenon and one of the most popular and successful entertainment franchises in the world. The new Pokémon & Pottery Barn Kids collection features some of the most recognizable Pokémon, including Pikachu, Jigglypuff and Eevee, on bedding, backpacks, lunch bags, accessories and décor. The Pokémon franchise's enduring popularity spans generations, and the collection with Pottery Barn Kids features iconic designs for kids' bedrooms, playrooms and accessories that appeal to the whole family. "With a dedicated global fanbase, Pokémon has captured the hearts of millions," said Allison Spampanato, Senior Vice President of Product Development, Pottery Barn Kids. "Partnering with such an imaginative brand allows us to create playful, design-forward pieces inspired by beloved Pokémon and crafted with quality to resonate with both kids and parents alike." "Pokémon appeals to fans across generations, and many parents who grew up with the franchise are now sharing their love of Pokémon with their own kids and families," said Amy Sachtleben, Sr. Director, Licensing and Promotions at The Pokémon Company International. "As a cross-generational brand, we're always looking to develop new products that help Trainers of all ages express their fandom, making premium home retailer Pottery Barn Kids the ideal partner for adding a touch of Pokémon to anyone's home or back-to-school gear." For more information, please visit Follow along on social @potterybarnkids and @pokemon. ABOUT WILLIAMS-SONOMA. INC. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life at home and at all places our customers work, stay and play. The company's brands — Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, Mark and Graham, and GreenRow — represent distinct merchandise strategies that are marketed through e-commerce, direct-mail catalogs and retail stores. These brands collectively support The Key Rewards, our loyalty and credit card program that offers members exclusive benefits. We operate in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom and have unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea and India. ABOUT POTTERY BARN KIDS Introduced in 1999, Pottery Barn Kids offers exclusive home furnishings available online and in stores globally to create kid-friendly, eco-conscious, stylish, and innovative spaces. Pottery Barn Kids' mission is to bring the utmost in quality design, sustainability, and safety into every family's home. Products are rigorously tested to meet the highest child safety standards and are expertly crafted from the best materials to last beyond the childhood years. Pottery Barn Kids is a member of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) and participates in The Key Rewards, a free-to-join loyalty program that offers members exclusive benefits across the family of brands. 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, please visit WSM-PR View source version on Contacts PR@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
06-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
POTTERY BARN KIDS LAUNCHES DEBUT COLLABORATION WITH GLOBALLY BELOVED ENTERTAINMENT BRAND POKÉMON
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pottery Barn Kids, portfolio brand of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM), the world's largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, today announced a collaboration with The Pokémon Company International to launch a new home and accessory collection featuring fan-favorite Pokémon. Since its debut in 1996, Pokémon has become a global phenomenon and one of the most popular and successful entertainment franchises in the world. The new Pokémon & Pottery Barn Kids collection features some of the most recognizable Pokémon, including Pikachu, Jigglypuff and Eevee, on bedding, backpacks, lunch bags, accessories and décor. The Pokémon franchise's enduring popularity spans generations, and the collection with Pottery Barn Kids features iconic designs for kids' bedrooms, playrooms and accessories that appeal to the whole family. 'With a dedicated global fanbase, Pokémon has captured the hearts of millions,' said Allison Spampanato, Senior Vice President of Product Development, Pottery Barn Kids. 'Partnering with such an imaginative brand allows us to create playful, design-forward pieces inspired by beloved Pokémon and crafted with quality to resonate with both kids and parents alike." 'Pokémon appeals to fans across generations, and many parents who grew up with the franchise are now sharing their love of Pokémon with their own kids and families,' said Amy Sachtleben, Sr. Director, Licensing and Promotions at The Pokémon Company International. 'As a cross-generational brand, we're always looking to develop new products that help Trainers of all ages express their fandom, making premium home retailer Pottery Barn Kids the ideal partner for adding a touch of Pokémon to anyone's home or back-to-school gear.' For more information, please visit Follow along on social @potterybarnkids and @pokemon. ABOUT WILLIAMS-SONOMA. INC. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life at home and at all places our customers work, stay and play. The company's brands — Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, Mark and Graham, and GreenRow — represent distinct merchandise strategies that are marketed through e-commerce, direct-mail catalogs and retail stores. These brands collectively support The Key Rewards, our loyalty and credit card program that offers members exclusive benefits. We operate in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom and have unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea and India. ABOUT POTTERY BARN KIDS Introduced in 1999, Pottery Barn Kids offers exclusive home furnishings available online and in stores globally to create kid-friendly, eco-conscious, stylish, and innovative spaces. Pottery Barn Kids' mission is to bring the utmost in quality design, sustainability, and safety into every family's home. Products are rigorously tested to meet the highest child safety standards and are expertly crafted from the best materials to last beyond the childhood years. Pottery Barn Kids is a member of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) and participates in The Key Rewards, a free-to-join loyalty program that offers members exclusive benefits across the family of brands. 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, please visit WSM-PR
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Disguise and The Pokémon Company International Sign Multi-Year Contract Extension Including Addition of International Distribution Rights
Disguise Granted Pokémon International Distribution Rights POWAY, Calif., Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Disguise, Inc., the globally recognized costume division of JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK), today announced an expansion of its long-standing agreement with The Pokémon Company International through a multi-year contract extension. This agreement grants Disguise distribution rights in North America as well as EMEA, ANZ and select parts of LATAM, reinforcing its position as a leader in the costume industry and allowing them to continue to design, develop, and manufacture Pokémon-inspired costumes and accessories now for fans domestically and internationally. Since the launch of its inaugural Pokémon costume line in 2019, Disguise has experienced substantial sales growth and successfully expanded its portfolio to include a broader range of iconic Pokémon such as Bulbasaur, Charizard, Squirtle, Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. In response to the growing demand for premium Pokémon costumes, this extended licensing agreement positions Disguise to further leverage the enduring popularity of Pokémon, driving innovation and delivering immersive costume experiences to consumers. "Part of our success comes from focusing on innovative character executions while also delving deep into the rich variety of characters available,' said Tara Cortner, President and General Manager of Disguise, 'In the past, products centered around Pikachu and a few others, but at Disguise, we see the opportunity to deliver products for all fans—allowing you to choose your favorite Pokémon or the one that speaks to you personally." Amy Sachtleben, Sr. Director of Licensing and Promotions for The Pokémon Company International, added, 'Disguise has been an exceptional partner in translating the unique characteristics of Pokémon into beautifully crafted costumes. Given the strong retail success in the U.S., we are excited to expand this collaboration globally and bring Pokémon-inspired costumes to an even broader audience.' With this expanded agreement, Disguise will introduce an extensive range of Pokémon-themed costumes and accessories, available at retailers—both in-store and online—this fall. For more information on Disguise's licensed products, visit About PokémonThe Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and 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 About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.:JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of toys and consumer products sold throughout the world, with its headquarters in Santa Monica, California. JAKKS Pacific's popular proprietary brands include: AirTitans®, Disguise®, Fly Wheels®, JAKKS Wild Games®, Moose Mountain®, Maui®, Perfectly Cute®, ReDo® Skateboard Co., Sky Ball®, SportsZone™, Xtreme Power Dozer®, WeeeDo®, and Wild Manes™ as well as a wide range of entertainment-inspired products featuring premier licensed properties. Through our products and our charitable donations, JAKKS is helping to make a positive impact on the lives of children. Visit us at and follow us on Instagram (@ Twitter (@jakkstoys) and Facebook (@ ©2025 JAKKS Pacific, Inc. All rights reserved About Disguise 1987, Disguise has been a global leader in the dress up and roleplay industry creating innovative and trend setting costumes and accessories. Based in San Diego, Disguise produces costumes and accessories under many of the world's leading licensed brands, as well as its own proprietary brands for the world's largest retailers including specialty, party and pop-up stores. Disguise designs and manufactures millions of costumes each year bringing smiles and creating memories for kids and adults alike. To see Disguise's extensive licensed dress up collection, please visit and follow us on Instagram (@ X (@DisguiseInc) and Facebook (Disguise Costumes). A photo accompanying this announcement is available at CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hatfield PR@ in to access your portfolio
