In the Pursuit of Worlds: A Rallycry for the VGC
If you’re here on Devon Corp Press, you either already compete in the VGC or you have an interest in doing so. You may have heard about how The Pokemon Company announced changes to the next season in regards to qualifying for Worlds. Instead of a Championship Point requirement, the entire structure shifted to the top 75 scoring players in the circuit. In response, there was an outcry of fan and player complaints about the spirit of the game, what makes a true world championship tournament, and hundreds of people submitting feedback directly to Pokemon with support tickets. This outcry was eventually heard by TPCi in the below tweet.
With permission from Hupu Metapod AKA Zheng Zhe, a talented VGC player and previous guest writer on Devon Corp Press, I quoted in the image below what I thought properly summarized the concerns the community has in a Discord channel. HPMetapod notes that this change won’t hurt top players, but for players who are up and coming, it may act as a heavy barrier for them to break through the top ranks.
I’ve seen newer competitors like myself become discouraged by this new qualification method. Some players may say, “I’ll never make Worlds now” or “What’s the point in competing anymore if it comes down to travel costs?” I’ve addressed this before on Twitter and in various chats on Discord. What TPCi changed makes that “pursuit” of Worlds much harder. I firmly believe that pursuit is what drives more players to the VGC than any other. This only makes proving yourself a tougher battle, but it is not impossible to achieve. Grab that invite with an iron grip, and take your ticket to competing on the top stage. Show the world that you have what it takes to be the very best.
“Never say never!” “Never give up!” These are phrases I believe every player should have echoing in their minds if they have any doubts about making it to Worlds, or rather, winning it all. There’s a viral clip of a man shouting “Never give up!” in a Japanese speech about achieving one's goals. Just because something seems difficult or near impossible to reach does not mean you should stop striving for it if you really want it.
This community has achieved great things because players believed in themselves. Wolfe Glick and Aaron “Cybertron” Zheng popularized the community via video form content. Nugget Bridge, Trainer Tower, and now here at Devon Corp Press, bring written analytic and editorial content for the scene. Many, many players have made Worlds, and have shown the community that they deserve a moment of glory for all their hard work in high-stakes battles. This change only makes it that much more special to achieve. Whether or not The Pokemon Company makes changes based on feedback is to be seen. For now, make your voice heard on Pokemon’s support page, battle to your heart's content, never give up, never say never, and earn your place on the world stage!
Stay tuned for more Worlds coverage this weekend on Devon Corp Press!
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