The Pokémon Company has released their first update for the upcoming Play! Pokémon 2022 Championship Series season. In the update, they outlined changes to the age ranges for each division and the qualification requirements for the Pokémon World Championships.
The Pokémon Company did not provide exact dates for any Play! Pokémon 2022 Championship Series events. However, they are working under the assumption that in-person competitions will return over the next year. In addition, they expect that the next World Championships will happen in London of August, 2022, as currently scheduled.
“The health and safety of our communities continue to be the most important aspect of resuming live events, and the situation is being continually monitored,” the update stated. “The timing for the next live Play! Pokémon events will be determined by the health mandates, guidelines and recommendations provided by appropriate government agencies.”
Changes for the Play! Pokémon 2022 Championship Series
During the Play! Pokémon 2022 Championship Series season, the age division for players will go up by one year from the 2020 season. As a result, players born in or after 2010 will compete in the Junior Division, players born from 2006-09 will compete in the Senior Division, and players born in or before 2005 will compete in the Masters Division.
Some changes regarding age divisions for the official Pokémon competitions will be made:
⏩ Junior Division: Now born in 2010 or later
⏩ Senior Division: Now born in 2006, 2007, 2008, or 2009
⏩ Masters Division: Now born in 2005 or earlier🧾 Source: https://t.co/cQlHjpi8aS pic.twitter.com/wRYe1TMrG9
— Victory Road (@VGCVictoryRoad) June 22, 2021
Every player who qualified for the World Championships during 2020 will maintain their qualified status going into 2022. Any player who previously qualified for Worlds in one division will maintain their Worlds qualification if they have aged up into a new division. This is true even if they have not met the Championship Points (CP) threshold typically required for their new division.
The 2022 Pokémon World Championships will be a four-day affair; from a Thursday to a Sunday. Players who reach a certain CP threshold will get to skip the first day of competition and begin playing on Friday. This Friday CP threshold, along with information about Best Finish Limits, will become available at a later date.
Fans of competitive VGC, TCG and Pokkén Tournament can expect more information about the Play! Pokémon 2022 Championship Series to come out throughout 2021.
