NINTENDO AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES 2014 POKÉMON VIDEO GAME AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE HELD 13TH JULY

6^th June 2014 – Nintendo Australia today announces the 2014 Pokémon Video Game Australian National Championships will be held 13^th July at the Melbourne Town Hall, Swanston St Melbourne.

Over 1000 competitors took part in exciting Regional Championships for Pokémon X and Pokémon Y for Nintendo 3DS around Australia and New Zealand in May, with the winners earning themselves flights and accommodation to the upcoming National Championships in Melbourne. The National Championships will be a full day free event taking place in the magnificent Main Hall. The event is open to everyone to either participate in the Championship and register on the day, or spectate and enjoy the battles on the big screen – it’s shaping up to be the biggest day of Pokémon action Australia has ever seen. Fans will have the chance to learn from and test their skills against the best players in Australia and New Zealand, and the day is sure to be an incredible experience for any Pokémon fan – beginner or master!

Players must bring their own system in the Nintendo 3DS family, Pokémon X or Pokémon Y Game Card or downloadable version, with the following formats utilised to determine Champions on the day:

Age Modified Swiss pairings, attendance permitting
A cut to a Top 16 single-elimination finals, attendance permitting
Single-elimination finals will be run as best-of-three games Players who place in the top two of their age division will win flights, accommodation and invitation, and players who place 3^rd and 4^th in their age division will win invitation to the Pokémon Video Game World Championships, hosted by The Pokémon Company International in Washington, D.C. on 16^th -17^th August, 2014. The following age divisions will apply:
Junior Division: Born in 2003 or later
Senior Division: Born in 1999, 2000, 2001, or 2002
Masters Division: Born in 1998 or earlier

Players can begin to familiarise themselves with the official rules for the upcoming events at http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/pokemon-video-game-championships/

More exciting news and announcements will be released in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter pages and make sure that you’ll be in Melbourne on the 13^th July! Additional links:

Australian Pokémon VGC website: http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/pokemon-video-game-championships/

Play! Pokémon Website:http://pokemon.com/play

NintendoAustralia Twitter:https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ Nintendo Australia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NintendoAUNZ Nintendo Australia YouTube: http://www.youtube.com.au/NintendoAU Nintendo Australia Image Library: http://images.nintendo.com.au