The biggest weekend in competitive Pokémon has officially come to an end. The 2024 Pokémon World Championships closed out in Honolulu, Hawaii, with a ceremony that crowned new world champions, celebrated the community, and — as always — dropped a batch of fresh announcements across the entire Pokémon franchise. If you missed the stream, here’s everything The Pokémon Company revealed as the curtains fell on this year’s event.
A Champion’s Farewell in Honolulu
This year’s Worlds was a landmark occasion: the first Pokémon World Championships ever held in Hawaii, welcoming thousands of trainers, collectors, and fans to the Hawaii Convention Center. Across three intense days, the world’s best players battled in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the Pokémon video game championship series (VGC), Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE, all vying for the title of World Champion. The closing ceremony honored the winners with their signature trophies and championship hardware — but as has become tradition, the event saved its biggest moments for the reveals.
Every Announcement From the Closing Ceremony
Winds and Waves Blows Into Scarlet and Violet
Headlining the ceremony was Winds and Waves, a brand-new online competition headed to Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet on Nintendo Switch. The special Ranked Battle-style event gives VGC fans a fresh competitive format to sink their teeth into as the 2024-2025 season kicks off, keeping the competitive fires burning long after the Worlds stage went dark.
Surging Sparks Charges Up the Pokémon TCG
Trading card game players got a look at the next major expansion, Surging Sparks. The upcoming set is headlined by a striking Pikachu ex card and promises to shake up the competitive meta heading into the new season. Collectors and players alike will want to keep an eye on this one when it arrives later this year.
Pokémon GO Powers Up With Dynamax
Pokémon GO trainers received big news as well. The mobile hit’s next season, Max Out, will finally bring the Dynamax mechanic from Pokémon Sword and Shield into Niantic’s AR universe. The reveal trailer showcased Dynamax-powered battles, marking one of the most significant gameplay additions to Pokémon GO in years.
Pokémon UNITE and TCG Pocket Round Things Out
Pokémon UNITE players can look forward to new content continuing to roll into the free-to-play MOBA, while the ceremony also kept the spotlight on Pokémon TCG Pocket, the upcoming mobile app that lets fans open digital booster packs on the go — one of the most anticipated Pokémon releases on the horizon.
Worlds Is Heading to Anaheim in 2025
Perhaps the most important reveal for competitive players: the location of next year’s championship. The Pokémon World Championships 2025 will take place in Anaheim, California, giving West Coast fans a home game and competitors their next destination to qualify for. The road to Anaheim begins now, with Play! Pokémon events ramping up around the globe.
Why This Year’s Ceremony Mattered
Closing ceremonies have evolved into something of a mini-Presents showcase for The Pokémon Company, and 2024 was no exception. With announcements spanning the video games, the trading card game, and mobile titles, the message was clear: every corner of the Pokémon ecosystem is getting fresh content simultaneously. For a franchise celebrating yet another record-breaking Worlds attendance, the momentum shows no signs of slowing — and with the 2025 season officially underway, there’s never been a better time to jump into competitive Pokémon.
Looking to train before Anaheim? You can grab Pokémon Scarlet and Violet game codes and Nintendo eShop gift cards at discounted prices on TURGAME.com and start your own championship run today.
Source: Kotaku