After the competition was canceled in 2020 due to the rise of the covid-19 pandemic, The Pokémon Company announced that it skip official tournaments until 2021 as well.
“The safety and well-being of our competitors, organizers, employees, local communities and partners [continue] to be our top priority and that is the most important consideration in every decision we make, ”reads the statement from the company. ‘[W]I made the difficult decision to move the following Pokémon World Championships until 2022. This event is scheduled to take place in London, United Kingdom. ”
As with previous events, this year’s Pokémon World Championships would feature competitions in the Pokémon video and trading card games as well as one-on-one fighting game Pokkén Tournament with satellite heats leading to the main event in London. Instead, the Pokémon Company will focus its 2021 efforts on organizing online Pokémon Player Cup events, just like last year. Players already invited to compete in 2020 will see their invitations roll out again after 2022.
“Many thanks to our millions of players, supporters, organizers and professors around the world for their continued support and understanding,” the announcement added. “The Pokémon International Championships and Pokémon World Championships are significant opportunities for us and the player community, and we look forward to seeing each other again and competing again. ”