Worlds 2008

[Zegnarfol]

With the new OP changes announced recently, and with the location of Worlds 2007 being in Hawaii, I see a savvy strategy emerging.

With the Worlds becoming a smaller and a more elite competition, it also becomes more "portable" and marketable. With representation equalized across the OP continents, it becomes more universally supportable. It would not be a difficult stretch to postulate that the emergent strategy PUI have in mind is to locate Worlds 2008 in a non-USA country for the first time.

While the USA may feel gypped with the changes to their representative numbers, I think the negative reactions will settle when it's seen that playing in a bigger pond is more rewarding than playing in a smaller pond. If the Olympics or Soccer remained in Greece or in England, the games would have floundered. There needs to be a bigger stage for the Pokemon setting. It will create greater interest all around to have Worlds in other countries. It would stimulate the Pokemon market considerably to have Worlds come to their town.

Having said that, I wonder what non-USA country might be high on PUI's list for holding Worlds 2008? I'm guessing somewhere in Europe, since there is already a somewhat high profile Professor Cup held there. Perhaps Japan would be fun too?

EDIT: The Meowth is out of the bag I say. Prof. Dav's response from another thread - note the "what if":

Sounds to me as though you think that the World Championships should always be held in the mainland US, so YOU can afford to go. What about Europe? What if we go there? Won't the European players be more able to attend as non competitors, and it would cost US non-competitors thousands to get there, just as it has Europeans for the last THREE YEARS.

I love the "if it isn't easy for me, it's not fair" attitude you have there. Ever dawn on you that perhaps the reason we're doing this is to create a more globally competitive and balanced event? Perhaps, making this event more 'mobile' so we can visit other countries in the future? Nah, we're just doing it because we want a nice vacation. Real classy there, JandPS. Real classy.

Prof. Dav

 

[EternalFire]

If they ever do, let Japan have the first call. No other country has the right to claim it until they get one first.

 

[Black_jirachi]

It will be held in Europe as far as I've been told.

Ny guess is UK or Belgium/France

 

[David's Confused Pokedad]

I once heard someone say it would be in Japan in 2008. No one official. We had planed on going to China in 2008 for the Olympics. But now that I am hooked into this game if they had Worlds in Japan we would go. Pokemon is much bigger than the Olympics and its not on Steriods.

 

[LionheartEX]

If they ever do, let Japan have the first call. No other counrty has the right to claim it until they get one first.

agreed 100%

 

[The Gorn]

Bermuda. Another island in the middle of an ocean.

Or Ascension.

 

[Shellshock929]

Not to be rude, but all of you are talking about Worlds 2008 when the 2006-07 season is starting next week? How sad...

 

[sceptilerancher]

agreed

 

[Poliwag92]

There might not even be a Worlds 08

 

[jesschow12]

Not to be rude, but all of you are talking about Worlds 2008 when the 2006-07 season is starting next week? How sad...

they have their 0wn threads...

for me it seems like UPI wants to have worlds at every part of US before moving out....

 

[Poliwag92]

Why do you all believe its moving out? Hawaii is part of the US. Its a tour of the US I suppose that will not move out.

 

[metagross]

Because now, it is possible. US no longer gets more trips than any other country, thus the only financial reason to keep Worlds in US is gone and this event can move on to promote this game in more parts of the World.

 

[sdp]

while its early, i'm sure PUI is already thinking about Worlds 09 somewhat, and what better way to promote the game than by having the 'big' event in another country.

 

[survivor]

Canada. Worlds 08 should be in Canada. SO we all can sing "Oh Canada" at the beginning of the event.

Japan sounds good and if not Japan the in the middle of Europe. Lke in Germany.

 

[Burninating_Torchic]

There might not even be a Worlds 08

I agree completely, although I don't think that will happen as soon as 08.
IMO, this change in structure will result in a lot of US players leaving the game, because they don't think they have a chance at Worlds any more. The US is where Pokemon makes most of its money - and if the money they make here is significantly reduced, budget cuts will be in order...worlds will become smaller and smaller.
It's a vicious cycle. As worlds grows smaller, people start quitting. As people start quitting, worlds grows smaller.
Eventually, there will be no worlds, and quite possibly, no Pokemon TCG.

 

[ixidor89]

That's not true; worlds will simply lose its importance and significance.

Yuigioh! had a Wolrd Championship with about forty people in it last year, and yet its popularity continues to grow competitively. This is because players focus more on the large tournaments rather than the ultimate goal of going to worlds. The same thing will probably happen for pokemon

 

[survivor]

In Yu-Gi-Oh it's much harder toget to Worlds and you don't see the game losing people or dying. I believe in Magic it's hard to get to Natipnals and much harder to get Worlds, but I'm not sure. Maybe someone could correct me.

 

[Burninating_Torchic]

In Yu-Gi-Oh it's much harder toget to Worlds and you don't see the game losing people or dying. I believe in Magic it's hard to get to Natipnals and much harder to get Worlds, but I'm not sure. Maybe someone could correct me.

Yes, I do. Yugioh's popularity has been declining for quite some time now. Here are some signs.

1. The set production of Yugioh has rapidly increased. They're now producing new sets much faster than they did when they first started. This is a tactic used by many card games, including but not limited to Neopets and .Hack//Enemy, to try and recover players that they are losing.
2. New title. Starting about a year ago (correct me if Im chronologically wrong), Yugioh was no longer just Yugioh. It is now "Shonen Jump's Yugioh." Shonen Jump not only publishes the Yugioh Manga, but now owns everything about Yugioh - any recent Yugioh logo you see anywhere has the words "Shonen Jump's" above it. Konami had to sell Yugioh out to Shonen Jump, most probably due to falling profits due to popularity loss.

 

[ryanvergel]

I agree completely, although I don't think that will happen as soon as 08.
IMO, this change in structure will result in a lot of US players leaving the game, because they don't think they have a chance at Worlds any more. The US is where Pokemon makes most of its money - and if the money they make here is significantly reduced, budget cuts will be in order...worlds will become smaller and smaller.
It's a vicious cycle. As worlds grows smaller, people start quitting. As people start quitting, worlds grows smaller.
Eventually, there will be no worlds, and quite possibly, no Pokemon TCG.

POP is completely seperate from selling. The sales that come from people that participate in OP are virtually insignificant when compared to the sales from all other groups. Quite literally, they won't lose money if a lot of OP players quit the game.

 

[Flaming_Spinach]

Removing Organised Play would kill the game, ryan.

Don't try to prove otherwise.