News

Published on August 31st, 2012 | by Evan

0

Details on 2013 VGC Regionals Season Announced (Updated)

Nugget Bridge has just received confirmation from The Pokémon Company International on some of the details of the 2013 Regionals season. As previously assumed, Fall Regionals will be played on the Pokémon Black and White cartridges, keeping the same ruleset played in Worlds last month and explicitly banning BW2 tutors and formes. Winter and Spring Regionals, however, will be played exclusively on Pokémon Black and White 2 cartridges, confirming suspicions that the 2013 season would not be a single metagame to be developed across the season.

From TPCi:

“The upcoming Fall Regionals will not allow Black and White 2 moves, move sets or cartridges. However, future Regionals will be Black and White 2 exclusive. Please continue to check www.pokemon.com, for news and announcements.”

The language here only allows us to confirm that Winter and Spring Regionals will feature the metagame changing tutors and formes in some fashion and be played exclusively on Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 game carts. However, we are still unable to confirm if the Winter and Spring formats will be the same as last year’s VG Modified with the addition of the new Black and White 2 tutors or if a new format like the Beginning Cup, which is BW2 exclusive, will be the standard.

For more information on the 2013 Regionals season, check our Regionals schedule, updated as we receive confirmation from local PTOs, and our forums. We’ll keep you updated on the details as we receive them.

Update! Regionals Byes and First International Information

TPCi has updated their website to include some new information about the 2012 – 2013 VGC Season. Of note for North Americans, TPCi has confirmed the dates of the Fall, Winter and Spring Regionals as the ones we previously reported. Further, TPCi has announced that players who place well in GBU WiFi Tournaments will receive Byes for their Regionals, starting with the Winter Regionals.

From TPCi:

“Video Game players can earn byes at Regional Championships by participating in GBU Wi-Fi tournaments. Top-ranked players from regularly scheduled GBU International Wi-Fi tournaments will earn a huge advantage against the other competition at Regional Championships, beginning with the Winter Regional in January. In order to be eligible to earn byes, players must have a fully activated Pokémon Trainer Club account with a Player ID, and have accepted all applicable terms of use. Click here for information on how to upgrade your account.”

Having a valid Player ID associated with your Pokémon Trainer Club account will be a much bigger deal this year. Not only can you receive Byes thanks to your placement in in the WiFi Tournaments, but you will also accumulate Championship Points during the season with the top four players at the end of the season receiving invitations to the 2013 World Video Game Championships in Vancouver.

For those of you across the pond, TPCi has also announced changes to the European circuit. From TPCi:

“The international event schedule also has some changes worth mentioning. To align the international event series with North American events, the schedule will be trimmed slightly, giving players the opportunity to play in three separate events in the Spring.

“There will be two Preliminary events that will lead to a World Championships Qualifier event.  These events will be open to all players in good standing. As with the North American series, there will be incentives offered to top-ranked players in GBU Wi-Fi tournaments across all three age divisions.”

Just like the North American system, European players will apparently have the opportunity to play in two “Regionals” before the the World Championships Qualifier event, the equivalent of United States and Canada Nationals, in Spring. Also like the North American system, European players will receive advantages for consistent, high-level GBU play.

Stay tuned to Nugget Bridge for more information on the forthcoming GBU tournaments and more details on the 2013 VGC season as it becomes available!


About the Author

is the Editor-in-Chief of Nugget Bridge and author of the arts and pop culture blog Preposterous Uncle. From his home in Washington, DC, he ensures that content posted to the site is up to snuff. Evan is known for his strict deadlines and wants you to have your article on his desk by 5.



Back to Top ↑