Video Game Players Compete in New Pokémon Fighting Game

23 Feb 2016, 00:00 AM CST

GameStop Stores to Host Local Pokkén
Tournament Early Access Competitions

–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nintendo:


WHAT:			Before the highly anticipated Pokémon fighting game Pokkén Tournament launches for Wii U on March 18, fans are invited to play the game early and show off their skills in local Pokkén Tournament Early Access Competitions.

			The action-packed competitions will be held on Feb. 27 starting at 11 a.m. local time at the GameStop store in Bellevue, Washington. Many fans should be lined up to compete, hoping to check out the game, show off their skills and advance to the finals at Nintendo NY in New York. At the finals, they will battle against other top Pokkén Tournament players for a travel award to the Pokémon US National Championships taking place this July in Columbus, Ohio.

			The competitions are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis and will be split into two age brackets: Senior Division (born 2001 or later) and Masters Division (born 2000 or earlier). The winner of each bracket will be trained by professional fighting game players and the fun training sessions will be shared on Nintendo’s social media channels.

			Once the training is complete, the winner from each bracket and a guest will be flown to the Nintendo NY store in New York for the final Pokkén Tournament Early Access finals on March 17, where they’ll compete against all other regional champions. The individual bracket winners of this competition will each win a Wii U console, the Pokkén Tournament game and will receive a travel award to the 2016 Pokémon US National Championships (July 1-3, Columbus, Ohio) where they will battle to advance to the 2016 Pokémon World Championships, the premiere Pokémon tournament of the year.

WHO:			Pokémon fans, fighting game players of all ages (minors need parent or guardian consent)

WHEN:			Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. local time
			Registration begins at 10 a.m. local time

WHERE:			GameStop
			242 Bellevue Square
			Bellevue, WA 98004

VISUALS:

Fans of all ages lined up outside of GameStop to show off their skills
in the competitions.
Fighting game experts battling it out in Pokkén Tournament
before the game launches around the world on March 18.*

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents
of US (excl Puerto Rico); minors require parent/guardian consent.
Masters Division for eligible participants born in 2000 or before;
Senior Division for eligible participants born in 2001 or after.
Tournaments run from 11:00AM – 5:30PM local time on 2/27/16 at
participating GameStop locations. To enter, complete registration form
(available online or at participating GameStop) and arrive no earlier
than 10:00AM; participation limited to first 32 eligible participants
per division, per location. One winner per division, per location, will
win a trip package to New York to compete in the Pokkén Tournament
Championships on 3/17/16, governed by separate rules (ARV $2,300 per
prize package). For Official Rules, visit http://pokemon.com/PokkenTournament.
Sponsor: Nintendo of America Inc.

Contacts

Golin
Eddie Garcia, 213-335-5536 (office)
egarcia@golin.com