POKÉMON GIVES TRADING CARD GAME FANS ULTIMATE ONLINE
PLAYER-VS.-PLAYER EXPERIENCE
New Pokémon Trading Card Game Online Offers 24-Hour Battling,
Sanctioned Tournaments, Customizable Features, and More for
Players Worldwide
BELLEVUE, WA—March 10, 2011—Pokémon™
fans can soon play the Pokémon TCG with anyone, anytime,
anywhere, simply by turning on their computers. Expanding on the
recently introduced Pokémon Trainer Challenge, The Pokémon
Company International announced today the Pokémon Trading Card
Game Online, a player-versus-player TCG, launching in fall 2011
for anyone looking to battle 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
from the convenience of their PC. Pokémon TCG Online is a fully
immersive online game using virtual Pokémon TCG cards that
players can collect, trade, and use to battle with others just
like in the real world!
When Pokémon TCG Online launches later this year at
www.pokemontcg.com ,
players will already have two ways to collect virtual Pokémon
TCG cards, ensuring they are ready for battle online. The
recently announced Pokémon Trainer Challenge, launching in
April, will give players access to three free virtual Pokémon
TCG pre-constructed decks that will be transferable into Pokémon
TCG Online. New and seasoned Pokémon TCG players can also
prepare for online battles against other players by purchasing
physical cards—the three Pokémon TCG: Black & White theme
decks, which are available April 6th, include a code
that unlocks a virtual deck for play in the Pokémon Trainer
Challenge and Pokémon TCG Online. The more virtual cards players
collect, the easier it will be to create a strong deck for
battle!
To help manage virtual Pokémon TCG cards for easy sorting,
trading, and showcasing while ensuring a customizable, in-depth
TCG play experience, a unique Collection Management Tool will
provide players easy point-and-click access to their
collections. Additionally, Pokémon TCG Online deck-building
tools, including an innovative deck-building wizard, will help
construct personalized decks that players of all skill levels
can call into battle.
“We developed the Pokémon TCG Online to enable fans of the
Pokémon TCG to play against opponents worldwide,” said Andrew
Finch, senior director of Online & Community Development at
The Pokémon Company International. “Everything Pokémon
TCG players love about the game is replicated in a rich,
customizable online environment, making it possible to battle
when you want and how you want, from training for real-world
events to simply battling other TCG players from across the
globe.”
Some of the most popular elements of social and casual games are
intertwined with the best of TCG game play in Pokémon TCG
Online. Similar to the real-world Pokémon TCG community, the
trading of digital TCG cards and items in real time will allow
players to interact with others while building decks and
collecting a wide variety of Pokémon TCG-related items online.
Various customizable features and digital items will be
available through a special currency system earned through
numerous game play scenarios, including officially sanctioned
online tournaments staged by The Pokémon Company International.
Players can expect the introduction of new items and features
frequently.
Individual and community game play statistics will be tracked
with ease using three features, including Leveling, which gauges
individual playtime to unlock certain features within the game;
Ratings, which tracks a player’s games along with any online
tournaments entered and won; and Leaderboards, which will post
standings for players across various skill levels.
For more information about the upcoming launch of the
multiplayer Pokémon TCG Online or to sign up for an opportunity
to play the single-player Pokémon Trainer Challenge open beta,
please visit
www.pokemontcg.com.
Fans can play the single-player Pokémon Trainer Challenge at PAX
East, March 11–13 in Boston, MA. To play at home, players need
to create a free Pokémon Trainer Club account, easily obtained
at
www.pokemon.com/us/account/login.
