The 2011–2012 Play! Pokémon season came to a thrilling conclusion this weekend at the 2012 Pokémon World Championships in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Six battle-tested champions walked away as the world’s best Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and video game players, rising above hundreds of other Pokémon players that came to the Big Island from more than 30 countries, including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Representing their nations proudly in paradise, each player’s journey began nearly a year ago, battling in events over the course of the Play! Pokémon season sanctioned by The Pokémon Company International. The hard work and dedication to their craft led all players to Pokémon’s premiere competitive event.

The 2012 Pokémon TCG and Video Game World Champions are:

• 2012 Pokémon TCG Junior Division World Champion, Shuto Itagaki from Japan.
• 2012 Pokémon Video Game Junior Division World Champion, Abram Burrows from the United States of America.
• 2012 Pokémon TCG Senior Division World Champion, Chase Moloney from Canada.
• 2012 Pokémon Video Game Senior Division World Champion, Toler Webb from the United States of America.
• 2012 Pokémon TCG Masters Division World Champion, Igor Costa from Portugal.
• 2012 Pokémon Video Game Masters Division World Champion, Ray Rizzo from the United States of America.

Winners of the invitation-only tournament earned the title of Pokémon World Champion, received a special Pikachu World Championships trophy, and collectively earned more than $100,000 in scholarships. Additionally, The Pokémon Company International will choose a select number of Pokémon World Championships video game finalists and their Pokémon teams to be distributed as a Pokémon Trainer avatar in the upcoming Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 video games.

“The Pokémon World Championships not only showcase some of the best Pokémon TCG and video game players from around the world, they also celebrate an international community that is unified by the fun, friendship, and mutual respect that the Pokémon spirit embodies,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “We are incredibly proud of all the players who competed this weekend and want to extend a big congratulations to the 2012 Pokémon World Champions who represented their nations proudly.”

To view highlights from the 2012 Pokémon World Championships, including official standings, photos, videos, and player interviews, please visit www.pokemonworldchampionships.com. For more information on how to participate in future Play! Pokémon events, please visit www.pokemon.com/play