Nintendo has revealed that the Nintendo 2DS bundles featuring Pokémon X and Pokémon Y that have been released in many countries around the world will be finally released in Australia on June 26th, 2014. The suggested retail price is $179.95 AUD. The bundles were released in North America on December 6th, 2013. They were also released in South Korea on December 7th, 2013.

The official Japanese Pokémon website has revealed that almost 85 million Pokémon trades have occurred on the Global Trade System (GTS). When the 100th million trade occurs, the Fancy Pattern Vivillon (ファンシーなもようのビビヨン) will be distributed worldwide to celebrate the milestone. Another 15 million trades need to occur before this distribution will become available.

The official Pokémon Company International press release revealed that the Fancy Pattern Vivillon is Level 12 and knows the following moves: Gust, Light Screen, Struggle Bug and Hold Hands.


Source: http://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/2014/05/140523_gm01.html

Release of new Fancy Pattern Vivillon will mark a huge milestone for Pokémon X and Pokémon Y’s Global Trade Station

Currently, about 90 million Pokémon have been traded worldwide, and to celebrate the landmark of 100 million Pokémon trades via the Global Trade Station (GTS), a new Fancy Pattern Vivillon will become available to players.

Vivillon is a unique Pokémon in that the patterns and colours on its wings typically vary based on the real-world region in which a player lives. Because of this characteristic, players around the world have been exchanging Vivillon via the GTS to collect all of the regional patterns.

This newly discovered Vivillon breaks with that tradition: it will become available to Pokémon fans across the globe once the 100 millionth Pokémon is traded via the GTS. When this enormous milestone is reached, a special distribution event will take place, enabling all players of Pokémon X or Pokémon Y to receive the Fancy Pattern Vivillon wherever they are in the world!

Once the goal is reached, players can check Pokemon.co.uk to find out how to get the Fancy Pattern Vivillon in their Pokémon X or Pokémon Y game. The Pokémon Company would like to thank everyone who has participated in reaching this epic milestone by trading Pokémon via the GTS, and are calling on everyone to keep trading so we hit that huge milestone!

Trainers from all over the world will be able to participate in the Explosive Speed! Single Battle (爆速！シングルバトル！！) tournament in June of 2014. On May 16th, 2014, The Pokémon Company released a press release to complement the information posted on the Japanese Pokémon Global Link website. Below are the details.

Information
Region: International Registration Period: May 29th, 2014 at 14:00 until June 6th, 2014 at 8:59 Tournament Period: 9:00 am, June 6th, 2014 until 8:59 am, June 9th, 2014 Battle Type: Single Battle Pokémon Restrictions: Pokémon caught or hatched from eggs in Kalos Banned Pokémon: Players could not cannot use Pokémon that were brought to Pokémon X or Pokémon Y using the Nintendo 3DS downloadable software Poké Transporter, nor can they use Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta, Genesect, Xerneas, Yveltal, or Zygarde. Players could participate in 10 battles per day, with unused battles carrying over to the next day, making for a total of 30 battles. Entry Gift: 1000 PokéMiles Points
Description
The first 50,000 people worldwide to register were eligible to participate. The tournament was split into two divisions, the Junior Category for those born in 1999 or later and the Master Category for those born in 1998 or earlier. A 10-minute time limit for each match will automatically be enforced in-game, beginning at the start of each battle. If the outcome has not been determined when the time limit expires, the game will automatically apply tiebreakers to determine a winner. At the beginning of each battle, players have 30 seconds to select Pokémon to battle with. At the beginning of each turn, players have 15 seconds to select a move or change Pokémon in battle. If a player has not made his or her selections at the end of this period, the game will automatically make selections for the player. Junior Division players will be limited to playing between the hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (local time).

2014 Tournament Schedule

Also announced were the upcoming tournaments in Japan. As this is only a tentative schedule, full details were not available. International participation has yet to be confirmed.

International Challenge JUNE - Starting in late June, this will be one of the last chances for players worldwide to qualify for the Pokémon World Championships.

Eievui Friendly Match (イーブイ フレンドリーマッチ) - In July, this Rotation Battle tournament limits participating Pokémon to Eeveelutions.

All-Star ☆ Battle (オールスター☆バトル) - This tournament is also in July and allows any Pokémon except Diance to participate in Double Battles, however each Battle Box can only contain a maximum of two Pokemon from the list of normally disallowed species. Players can also use Pokémon imported from older games via the Poké Transporter.

Ultra Fast! Double Battle! (超速！ダブルバトル！！) - In August, this Double Battle Tournament will not allow players to see opponents Pokémon beforehand. Players will use 3 Pokemon each instead of the normal 4.

Fairy Friendly (フェアリー フレンドリーマッチ) - In the autumn, a currently undecided tournament format will only allow players to use Fairy-type Pokémon.

Halloween Party (ハロウィンパーティー) - In the autumn (probably late October), tournament participants will be limited to Ghost-type Pokémon. Pumpjin must be included in the Battle Box.

Rating Battle Seasons 5 and 6 Announced

Preliminary details about the next two Rating Battle Seasons were announced on the Japanese Pokémon Global Link website. Full details will be announced later in the year.

Rating Battle Season 5
Season Time Period: Starts July 15th 2014
Rules for Special Battle:
Battle Type: 6-on-6 Single Battles
Restrictions: Items Disabled

Rating Battle Season 6
Season Time Period: Starts Mid September 2014
Rules for Special Battle:
Battle Type: Double Battle
Banned Pokémon: 12 most used Pokémon in regular Double Rating Battles from Seasons 1 to 4 are banned, as are the 12 most used Pokémon in regular Double Rating Battles from Season 5 at a specific point in August.

Sources: http://3ds.pokemon-gl.com/information/73d78ec1-e098-4588-a6ec-afdb8c5b6d73 and http://3ds.pokemon-gl.com/information/7397a69b-2b78-4bfa-a7cc-b5779b1d06d0

Press Release - Seven New Pokémon Online Competitions Announced!

There are even more opportunities for Pokémon video game players to battle others around the world in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. Seven new Online Competitions were just announced by The Pokémon Company International, in addition to the 2014 International Challenge May, currently in progress.

The worldwide tournament series provides numerous opportunities for new and experienced Pokémon competitors to battle others online. Some events even reward top players with Championship Points, which count toward invitations to the 2014 Pokémon World Championships taking place August 16–17 in Washington, DC.

Here’s the upcoming Pokémon video game Online Competitions schedule:
May 16–18: 2014 International Challenge May. Registration is closed.
June 6–8: Think Fast Competition: Single Battle.
Late June: 2014 International Challenge June.
July: Eevee Friendly Match [Name TBD].
July: All Star Battle [Name TBD].
August: Think Fast Competition: Double Battle.
Autumn: Fairy-type Cup [Name TBD].
Autumn: Halloween Party [Name TBD].

· Players have the opportunity to earn Championship Points toward a possible invitation to the 2014 Pokémon World Championships by participating in the 2014 International Challenge May or June tournaments.

· The Think Fast Competition: Single Battle will test players’ quick thinking. Each round is limited to one 10-minute Single Battle, with a 30-second preview of the opponent’s Pokémon and 15 seconds to choose a move each turn.

· Only Eevee and its many evolved forms can participate in the Eevee Friendly Match [Name TBD]. The Rotation Battle format adds a fun component to this competition.

· The July All Star Battle [Name TBD] will use the Double Battle format. Up to two Legendary and Mythical Pokémon can be included on a team, a rare occurrence in Pokémon Online Competitions!

· In August, the Think Fast Competition: Double Battle will require players to go into battle without seeing a preview of their opponent’s Pokémon team, and each player can have only one Pokémon in reserve, for a total of three Pokémon per side in each battle.

· Look forward to the Fairy-type Cup [Name TBD] this fall, a competition where entry will be limited to Fairy-type Pokémon. The battle format is to be determined.

· In a special competition for the Halloween season, the Halloween Party [Name TBD] will have a special Single Battle competition for Ghost-type Pokémon only. Also, every contestant’s Battle Box must include Gourgeist!

Registration deadlines for the Think Fast Competition: Single Battle and the 2014 International Challenge June are coming up quickly. Players can visit Pokemon.com and the Pokémon Global Link (Pokemon.com/PGL) for more information on each Online Competition that will be posted soon, including rules and regulations. All Online Competition battles are played in the Pokémon X or Pokémon Y game for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

Special Message from GAME FREAK’s Battle Director Shigeki Morimoto

And now, GAME FREAK’s Battle Director Shigeki Morimoto has a special message for Pokémon Trainers:

Pokémon players around the world! I'm very, very grateful to see so many people participating in Pokémon battle events again this year, including the Pokémon World Championships and online competitions. How have you done in the rankings? For everyone located in regions that are holding World Championship preliminary events, keep giving it your all!

It appears that Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire have been announced! I think these games are going to cause another huge change in the world of battling. They will be released in November of this year, so until then you'll still be battling using Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. So, we have prepared a whole lot of fun competitions and events to showcase all that Pokémon X and Pokémon Y have to offer for battle!

Of course, furious Pokémon battles will continue with the release of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. Draw forth Pokémon's full potential in a variety of different battle formats!

Additionally, I am personally looking forward to seeing what kind of Pokémon will be used in Inverse Battles in Season 4 of the rating battles, which has just begun. It looks like Garchomp and Kangaskhan might still have an edge, but this time Garchomp has a 4x weakness to Electric-type moves!

I hope you'll continue to take part in random matchups and competitions. And let's get pumped up waiting for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire! Until then, even I, Morimoto, will secretly take part in battles, too!

From the Battle Director of the Pokémon series, Shigeki Morimoto, GAME FREAK Inc.

Thanks, Mr. Morimoto. And good luck to Pokémon Trainers everywhere!

Source: http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/more-online-competitions-are-on-the-way/

The arcade game Taiko no Tatsujin: Pink Ver. (太鼓の達人 モモイロVer．) will have the track Pocket Monsters X/Y Wild Pokémon Medley (ポケットモンスター Ｘ・Ｙ 野生ポケモンメドレー) added to it track list starting April 17th, 2014. This track is new to the arcade version but the Wii U version had the track since launch.

Also, the Wii U game Taiko no Tatsujin Wii U Version! (太鼓の達人 Wii Uば～じょん！) will have the track Pocket Monsters X/Y Trainer Battle Medley (ポケットモンスター Ｘ・Ｙ トレーナー戦メドレー) available as free DLC starting April 23rd, 2014.


Source: http://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/2014/04/140418_gd02.html

The Pokémon World Championships 2014 official Japanese website launched on April 15th, 2014. The site contains information about the upcoming tournaments in Japan and where players can participate in order to qualify for the Pokémon World Championships 2014 in Washington, D.C.


A video featuring Pokémon Get TV (ポケモンゲット☆TV) hosts Director Robin and Director Yukito was also posted. They recap most of the information on the website including: the Japan Cup 2014 (ジャパンカップ2014) and the Pokémon Card Game Lizardon Mega Battle.

Pokémon World Championships 2014 Video

Source: http://www.pokemon.co.jp/ex/wcs2014/

Nintendo Australia has posted information about the Pokémon Video Game Australian National Championships in their press release. Below are the details.

Compete to Win a Trip to take on the World's Best at the 2014 Pokémon Video Game World Championships in Washington, D.C.!

Pokémon fans from around Australia and New Zealand will once again have the chance to compete in the Pokémon Video Game Australian National Championships in 2014.


In the lead up to the National Championships, fans will have the chance to learn from and test their skills against some of the best players in their city at Regional Championships to be held in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland (NZ), with travel awards up for grabs to the Pokémon Video Game Australian National Championships.

2014 Pokémon Video Game Regional Championships:

Perth - Saturday 10th May
Adelaide - Sunday 11th May
Sydney - Saturday 17th May
Brisbane - Sunday 18th May
Melbourne - Saturday 24th May
Auckland - Saturday 31st May

At the National Championships, players will battle it out on the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y games for Nintendo 3DS, where top finishers can win a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the 2014 Pokémon Video Game World Championships, to be held 16th -17th August, 2014.

The following age divisions will apply:

Junior Division: Born in 2003 or later
Senior Division: Born in 1999, 2000, 2001, or 2002
Masters Division: Born in 1998 or earlier

Source: http://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=news&nid=3429

The Pokémon Global Link has added a new Attraction to the PokéMiles Club for players of Pokémon X and Y. Players can spend their PokéMile Points to play Attractions, where they will receive one item from a specific selection upon completion. The item can be transferred into a players Pokémon X or Y game via Game Sync.


In Graffiti Eraser, players scrub away the paint splotches to reveal three Pokémon. Players then find out if the Pokémon they chose will earn them a top score! Players can earn fun and useful items that they can send to their Pokémon X or Pokémon Y game the next time they use Game Sync. The items players can earn include held items such as Power Band, plus items like Zinc and Iron to make their Pokémon stronger and other useful items such as a Rare Candy and Heart Scale.

We have added a Graffiti Eraser page listing all the rewards players can get at each level.

Source: http://3ds.pokemon-gl.com/information/5a082b06-b954-4b0b-918c-32a805794fe8

The official Korean Pokémon website has announced that Hankariaseu (한카리아스) will be distributed to Korean Pokémon X and Y players to promote the 2014 Pokémon World Championships Qualifying Tournament. Hankariaseu (한카리아스) will be distributed at two different locations but only one has been revealed so far. On April 12th, 2014 and April 13th, 2014 between 11:00 and 18:00, it will be distributed at the Lotte Department Store located on the 10th floor in Seoul.


Hankariaseu (한카리아스) is level 48, has the ability Sand Veil (모래숨기), is holding a Hankariaseuite (한카리아스나이트), and knows the moves: Draco Meteor (용성군), Dragon Claw (드래곤크루), Dig (구멍파기) and Crunch (깨물어부수기).

Source: http://pokemonkorea.co.kr/?inc=news-news_view&IDX=10197

The Pokémon website has revealed the 2014 April Friendly online tournament for Pokémon X and Y. Below are the details.


Do you have a Pokémon party that you can't wait to battle with against top Trainers? Join the 2014 April Friendly, an Online Competition featuring players from around the world! The 2014 April Friendly features Single Battles, and every Pokémon in the Kalos Pokédex is eligible—even Legendary Pokémon such as Xerneas and Yveltal! All the Pokémon on your party will be set to Level 50 automatically for the duration of the battle—this goes for Pokémon above and below level 50.

Tournament Details

Region: North America and Europe
Registration Period: Thursday, April 17, 2014 at 00:00:00 through Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 23:59:00 UTC
Tournament Period: Friday, April 25, 2014 at 00:00:00 through Monday, April 28, 2014 at 23:59:00 UTC
Ranking Results Announcement: Thursday, May 1, 2014 at 00:00:00 UTC
Max number of participants: 50 000
Player divisions: Junior/Senior Division: Born 1999 or later.
Masters Division: Born 1998 or earlier.
Battle Type: Single Battle
Pokémon Restrictions: Players may use only Pokémon found in the Kalos Pokédexes of Pokémon X or Pokémon Y. Players cannot use Pokémon that were brought to Pokémon X or Pokémon Y using the Nintendo 3DS downloadable software Poké Transporter.
Banned Pokémon: All Pokémon not found in the Central Kalos, Coastal Kalos or Mountain Kalos Pokédexes.

Source: http://www.pokemon.com/us/pgl/2014-april-friendly/

Pictures from the April issue of Corocoro Comic have leaked on the internet. The main Pokémon material this month is an announcement of the upcoming movie pre-order ticket distro event.



Details on the drawing contest and a submission form for this was also included. See our prior coverage of this contest for information.



Source: Corocoro Comic, April 2014 issue