The Pokémon World Championships (WSC) in Anaheim, California this year was an absolute beast, pulling in nearly 2,500 competitors across four major categories: TCG, VGC, Pokémon Go, and Pokémon Unite. That's a scale that dwarfs most other esports events out there! 
And according to Chris Brown, The Pokémon Company's Global Esports Director and Event Producer, that's exactly the point. He stressed that "openness" is a core Pokémon value, and there are zero plans to cap World Championship slots. In fact, they're looking to gradually expand them.
Brown explained that the Play Pokémon program has tweaked its qualification system starting with the 2025 season. Now, players need to maintain a consistent ranking throughout the season to snag a World Championship ticket, rather than just racking up points in one go. While this might seem like it's reducing the *overall* number of slots, it actually makes the event way more manageable. Organizers can now get a much clearer picture of participant numbers, which helps them plan for the future. 
"Now I can confirm the number of participants for next year, even five years from now. The old system was too unpredictable, making operations difficult," he stated.
Even with these adjustments, Brown emphasized that the goal is to boost the player experience, not to create an elite-only event. "We have no intention of turning the World Championships into something only a select few can attend, like other games do. We are the most open World Championship in the gaming industry," he asserted.
The numbers speak for themselves: the 2025 Pokémon TCG World Championships drew 1,726 participants, Pokémon VGC had 608, Pokémon Go brought in 190, and Pokémon Unite saw 160, totaling nearly 2,500. Compare that to the League of Legends World Championship with roughly 100 players, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft with just 116, or the Apex Legends Global Series with 127. Pokémon's World Championships are almost ten times bigger! 
The industry generally believes that while other esports often use "exclusivity" to build prestige, Pokémon leverages "inclusivity" to foster community spirit, allowing more people to participate firsthand and drive the continuation of gaming culture. Brown even called out Disney's card game, Lorcana, which only has 26 World Championship slots, suggesting that relaxing entry barriers would better unleash its cross-generational influence.
As the Pokémon World Championships continue to grow, evolving into a carnival that blends competition with fan experiences, Brown reiterated that "openness" will remain Pokémon's core strategy. He hopes other esports titles can learn from this approach, allowing more players to share in the fun and glory of gaming.
via： TheGamer