Pokemon World Championships confirm Scarlet & Violet will take over VGC

Despite only one Pokemon World Championship taking place in the Galar region, it has been announced future VGC competitions will move forward to Generation 9.

The Pokemon 2022 World Championships were the first live tournaments held in years. Taking place in London, players came together to compete through Pokemon TCG, Pokemon GO, and Pokemon Sword & Shield.

There is no doubt Pokemon Sword & Shield have had a tough run. Launching in the fall of 2019, the progressive Gen 8 games came in ready to push the boundaries of the Pokemon franchise. However, due to a health crisis in 2020, the Galar region hasn’t gotten its fair shake in many aspects.

While both competitors and spectators alike have loved experiencing Sword & Shield’s Dynamax battles, there is bad news for fans of Galar’s competitive scene.

What games are next for the Pokemon VGC?

The Pokemon VGC will be moving to Scarlet & Violet starting in 2023.

Following the final Pokemon VGC matches on Sunday, August 21, the announcers spoke about the future of the Championships. Streamed on The Pokemon Official YouTube Channel, the announcers lamented the short time spent in Galar around the 7-hour timestamp.

It was confirmed the 2022 Pokemon World Championships will be the first and last time players will have the ability to officially compete in the VGC using the Sword & Shield games.

While this is sad news for Pokemon VGC players, it isn’t surprising. Currently, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are set to release on November 18, 2022, following a solid 3-year run for the previous games, and many Pokemon fans are ready for a fresh adventure.

While information is still limited on what fans will be able to expect from competitive gameplay in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, a few updates shown in recent trailers have offered exciting hints. Generation 9’s gimmick, the Terastal phenomenon, will add new strategies to battles with type while new Pokemon species will allow players to choose a fresh team of companions.

While there are still plenty of areas players are eagerly waiting for updates on, it is almost certain that the next round of Pokemon VGC matches will be just as exciting as this year, and filled with wonderful new opportunities.