Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

POP Policy Change Regarding Foreign-Language Cards

Status
Not open for further replies.
SD PokeMom

SD PokeMom

Mod Supervisor
Staff member
Foreign-Language Restrictions for Premier Events

Effective: September 1, 2009
Over the course of several seasons, Pokémon Organized Play has noticed a sharp increase in the use of foreign-language cards in markets where those languages are not commonly understood by the player base. While we recognize that the Pokémon Trading Card Game is an international game, the unfortunate side effect of this increase is that it has added a layer of complexity to an already complex tournament setting at Premier Events. In cases where the majority of players and event staff are not fluent in these other languages, the pace of games has slowed due to translation issues, even with the use of the Card Dex or local-language reference cards.

Starting with the 2009–2010 tournament season, which begins September 1, 2009, Pokémon Organized Play will restrict the use of foreign-language cards at Premier Events, based on where those events take place. The Pokémon Trading Card Game is currently printed in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish. As English-language cards are distributed in the vast majority of markets worldwide, and more cards are printed in English than in any other language, English cards are legal for Premier Events in every market. Tournament legality at Premier Events for non-English sets is listed below. Only countries that run Premier Events are contained in this list.

READ MORE...
 
Last edited:
While this is going to be a nice change, I see how people are going to be upset about it. It is going to cause English cards to become more valuable since it's the only language legal in all the markets. At the same time, I know we had some issues with translations at states, so it's certainly going to be a welcome change.
 
i think this is terrible. I live in north America and use Japanese cards in prem. events. this hurts the players more then anything......
 
When a broad policy change like this comes about, it's typically because someone has been abusing the system to gain an advantage in tournaments.

Thanks to whoever ruined it for the rest of us.
 
I don't know if I can play anymore. I just traded my Azelf X for a bunch of japanese cards for the deck I wanted to build and now I can only use it for BRs.:mad: Why on earth should I be forced to play using english cards just because there are idiots who don't bother to actually take the time to look at the cards. I don't mind having a translation, but this is just stupid. *Goes to look at the organized play structure and card cost of MTG.*
 
But . . . Japanese Call Energy looks so cool . . . at least let us use the cards that look better in Japanese!

People who paid money for BET boxes are going to be sick . . .
 
It really does for sure.....I was even thinking about playing Japanese printed cards also, but now as these rules had just came up, most of the people playing cards in printed languages aside from their own, will be wasting their money because this. Though on the other hand, this act will prevent confusion when it comes to both trading and playing this trading card game.
 
Pikachews said:
It really does for sure.....I was even thinking about playing Japanese printed cards also, but now as these rules had just came up, most of the people playing cards in printed languages aside from their own, will be wasting their money because this. Though on the other hand, this act will prevent confusion when it comes to both trading and playing this trading card game.
Click to expand...

If people were to pay attention to the cards then there would be no reason for confusion. This rule is only because of stupid people who aren't dedicated enough to the game to spend A FEW MINUTES looking stuff up on the internet.
 
Alright, this is my last season. Just opened my super great BtteoT Display...
And since our Nationals are DP-PT I'll never even be able to use these cards...
If they'd announce this starting from a set that isnt released yet, ok, but just banningc ards that people already bought ? No, just no... This is worse then than the whole stuff that happened to ygo.
If this doesnt change, I'm out...
 
octillery49 said:
If people were to pay attention to the cards then there would be no reason for confusion. This rule is only because of stupid people who aren't dedicated enough to the game to spend A FEW MINUTES looking stuff up on the internet.
Click to expand...

More like people are using it as an excuse to stall.
 
What's that?

I never abused the possibility to play foreign cards, most of my decks had about 1-3 Japanese cards that I couldn't get in English. Just a few cards like Uxie Lv.X that almost everbody knows - I never played decks with 10+ foreign cards and lacked a reference print in tournaments.

Next thing is, we're playing in neighbour countries here in Europe. Dutch and Belgian TOs never had a problem if we played German cards, and usually we also had references. I really like it to play in other countries, discover new kinds of decks and find new friends. But with all German cards beeing banned there, I don't see any possibility to continue.

There absolutely would be no problem in restricting foreign cards to about max. 5 per deck. It would take exactly the same positive effects as the planned change with absolutely no drawbacks for anyone. But at least, you could use foreign cards if you don't have some in your own language.

I really hope this gets changed, I can't imaginge playing Pokémon without traveling to neighbour countries or using single Japanese cards (1-3 in a deck) if I can't get the 50 $ one in English within the 2 weeks between release date and tournament start.
 
octillery49 said:
If people were to pay attention to the cards then there would be no reason for confusion. This rule is only because of stupid people who aren't dedicated enough to the game to spend A FEW MINUTES looking stuff up on the internet.
Click to expand...


Not everyone knows what the cards do though. If it's something you don't expect to see played, it CAN cause confusion.
 
I'm the opposite and am probably going to take some heat for this, but I think there is a fine line. If its simply a cost thing, I'm all for it. If an opponent has 1 or 2 other language cards (expecially money card) like Dialga G LV X, Uxie, etc. thats fine. But when I'm playing somebody and they pull out 17 Translations, its just annoying. Not to mention it does slow the clock down and can be used to stall. However I will admit its just as easy if not more for the opponent to stall with them. Stopping and reading every translation every time it does something.

Not hating on anybody I play at States with decks that were mostly other language cards. You guys were both cool. I just hate translations.
 
ShadowGuard said:
...if I can't get the 50 $ one in English within the 2 weeks between release date and tournament start.
Click to expand...

This is a great point. Expect big tournaments right after new set releases to harbor in HIGH pricing cards. Oh, you need that lv.X that came out 2 weeks ago? $200. Why not? You can't the Japanese version...
 
secretsof2113 said:
Not everyone knows what the cards do though. If it's something you don't expect to see played, it CAN cause confusion.
Click to expand...

So you look at the translation. :thumb: It's not that hard to read and understand a little bit of text. And what are the chances somebody's gonna use a deck of japanese Shiftry (DP)?

On a side note I wonder if anybody who bot BET or POTF boxes will sue POP for doing this.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top