The 2024 Pokémon European Worldwide Championships have been and gone, however what a weekend it was for the yearly occasion!
1000’s of opponents and spectators alike descended on London’s ExCeL area for 3 days of competitors, meet-ups and (after all) procuring. Now taking over a number of halls within the capital’s conference centre, this yr’s EUIC was the largest but, showcasing a brand new gold commonplace that we’re certain the remaining regional occasions this season will probably be seeking to replicate.
In fact, being the largest occasion brings its personal issues — it is now simpler than ever to overlook out on the motion whereas distracted by no matter different shiny attraction caught your eye. However that is the place we are available in.
Beneath, we have now damaged down every part that occurred on the 2024 Pokémon EUIC, from event winners to point out ground surprises and you’ll find our ideas on all of it alongside the way in which.
So, let’s dive right into a weekend of catching ’em all…
What Are The 2024 Pokémon European Worldwide Championships?
It is a truthful query and one that’s made doubly troublesome by having the phrases ‘European’ and ‘Worldwide’ proper subsequent to one another. So, for these not aware of the aggressive Pokémon scene, here is the lowdown.
At a fundamental degree, Worldwide Championships (like EUIC) are the competitions earlier than the World Championships — the granddaddy of all of them. To get to the Worldwide section, gamers could have first progressed by means of League Cups and Regional Championships, incomes ‘Championship Factors’ to qualify for the following, bigger event.
There are a number of Worldwide Championships all through the season (the Latin America event occurred final November and the North American one kicks off in June), however that is the largest occasion of the yr for Europe.
In fact, it is not all competitors. The occasions are attended by hundreds of spectators every year to observe the matches or become involved with the present ground actions (however extra on that later).
For now, let’s get into the matches themselves…
Watching The Tournaments
EUIC homes tournaments for the Pokémon Buying and selling Card Sport, online game (Scarlet and Violet this yr, clearly), Pokémon GO and Pokémon Unite.
The matches happen throughout opening ‘Swiss Rounds,’ with opponents progressively being whittled all the way down to the highest eight, prime 4 and, finally, the finals. Oh, and issues are additionally cut up between completely different age brackets — Junior (born in 2005 or later), Senior (born 2001-2004) and Masters (born 2000 or earlier) simply to steadiness issues out additional.
Get it? It does not matter if not, as a result of watching these matches is a wild journey.
The Swiss Rounds are enormous, with hundreds (sure, hundreds) of gamers all competing directly. It is an expertise in itself to simply stroll alongside these matches, absorbing the experience at play, however the true deal is catching the bigger qualifiers on stage.
These larger occasions play out in entrance of a cheering crowd, with giant screens giving a more in-depth take a look at the motion and commentary groups preserving you updated on each transfer. The Pokémon Unite finals took to the stage to shut out Saturday’s occasions, whereas the remaining competitions all got here to a head on the aptly named ‘Finals Day’ (or ‘Sunday,’ to you and me).