BELLEVUE, WASH.—June 26, 2013—Thousands of Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and video game players, their supporters and families, and Pokémon fans from around the United States will come together July 5–7 in Indianapolis for the 2013 Pokémon U.S. National Championships. For many, this open and free-to-play event represents the culmination of a yearlong journey of competition, travel to numerous Play! Pokémon events, and the many friendships that were made along the way.

Participants from around the country who have worked to build an unbeatable Pokémon TCG deck or to create a battle-tested Pokémon team in the Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 video games will be showcasing their skills and vying for top placement at the Pokémon U.S. National Championships. One video game competitor and one TCG competitor from each of three age divisions will be crowned U.S. National Champion, and will travel with other top players to represent the United States on a global stage at the Pokémon World Championships this August in Vancouver, Canada.

“The Pokémon U.S. National Championships is one of the largest and most prestigious Pokémon TCG and video game events in the world, and it provides a great opportunity for fans and players throughout the United States to come together and have fun playing the games they love,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “The event has continued to grow over the last few years and is a great opportunity for attendees to form new friendships and reunite with old friends, and perhaps win a trip to Vancouver for Worlds.”

The Pokémon U.S. National Championships are a great opportunity for players to gain entry to the 2013 Pokémon World Championships, with competitors and fans from around the country traveling thousands of miles to take part in this open event. The top four TCG and video game finalists from each age group will earn an invitation and Travel Award to the 2013 Pokémon World Championships in addition to Championship Points, thousands of dollars in scholarship awards, a Pokémon National Championship trophy, and other Pokémon-themed merchandise. The U.S. National Championships is held using a Swiss tournament format, which guarantees players the opportunity to play in multiple rounds regardless of their win-loss record.

To celebrate the event, attendees to the 2013 U.S. Pokémon National Championships who bring their Nintendo DS or 3DS system and a copy of the Pokémon Black, Pokémon White, Pokémon Black 2, or Pokémon White 2 video game to the event can participate in a special character distribution, receiving a powerful Metagross based on the one used by World Champion Ray Rizzo in the 2012 Pokémon World Championships. Attendees can also take part in Pokémon League events, where they can earn special prizes.

The 2013 Pokémon TCG U.S. National Championships will begin Friday, July 5, at 9:00 a.m., while the Pokémon Video Game U.S. National Championships will begin on Saturday, July 6, at 9:00 a.m. Both events will take place at the Indiana Convention Center, located at 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46225, and will conclude Sunday, July 7. Visitwww.pokemon.com/play to learn more about the tournament rules, regulations, prizes, and registration times.

Be sure to Like the official Pokémon Facebook page at Facebook.com/Pokemon, follow Pokémon on Twitter @Pokemon, and subscribe to the official YouTube channel at Youtube.com/Pokemon for the latest Pokémon news and fun!