The Pokémon World Championships is an event that grows every year thanks to its passionate community and the tremendous work of The Pokémon Company. One of the things that makes it so special is that it brings together communities from three very different games, while still finding common ground. But what is Pokémon’s ultimate goal with Worlds? Ensuring that the community can form lasting bonds.
Chris Brown, Global Director of Esports and Competitive Events at The Pokémon Company, explained that designing spaces where players can interact is key. This means everything from having areas to sit and relax to creating opportunities for players to engage with each other. At the Pokémon World Championships 2025 in Anaheim, we saw this through multiple activities like a pin-trading rally, dedicated card-trading areas, and special Pokémon GO activities with exclusive rewards.
“There are other shows where you’re standing all the time, with no real place to sit down and connect with others. Our events are designed to create those opportunities—whether it’s sitting together, trading, or simply interacting. Building friendships is how we overcome these challenges,” said Brown.
As part of our coverage of Pokémon World Championships 2025, we had the chance to sit down with Brown to discuss the biggest challenges of managing such a massive competitive scene and ensuring long-term sustainability across three different games.
At first glance, one might assume the hardest part of running the competitive Pokémon scene is keeping players engaged, building a global competitive infrastructure, or organizing large-scale tournaments. However, Brown sees it differently:
“The biggest challenge is making sure there are enough avenues to create friendships. One thing I’ve always loved about our event is the Swiss tournament format. If you play in the TCG, it’s a unique opportunity to meet so many people—each round, you’re sitting across from a new opponent. That experience is truly special.”
