The Pokémon Company announced on Tuesday that it has decided to cancel the 2021 Pokémon World Championship. The next world championships will take place in 2022 in London, the same city planned for the 2021 event.
“The safety and well-being of our competitors, organizers, employees, local communities and partners remains our top priority and is the primary consideration in every decision we make,” The Pokémon Company said in a statement on the Pokémon website.
Players invited to the 2021 World Cup are invited back to the 2022 event. The Pokémon Company also said that all other events are part of the official Play! Pokémon Event Series will remain suspended until further notice by the Company.
If players want to compete earlier, they must do so online through events such as the continuous Play! Pokémon Team Challenge and Pokémon Players Cup. The Players Cup takes place from June and includes the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon Sword and Shield, en Pokkén Tournament DX.
Other competitive gaming opportunities have been canceled due to COVID-19, including the Fortnite World Cup and Evo 2020.
Regarding the future of Pokémon events next year, The Pokémon Company said that the company is looking forward to an ‘extended celebration for Pokémon next year’, but does not elaborate on its plan.