The Pokémon Company International is looking for citizens of the United States to become commentators for the upcoming 2014 Pokémon US National Championships and the Pokémon World Championships. The full details and instructions on how to apply are listed below.

Pokémon Commentator Auditions - PR E-mail

The Pokémon Company International is looking for talented and knowledgeable Pokémon fans to lead live commentary at the 2014 Pokémon US National Championships and the Pokémon World Championships. Chosen commentators will be making an appearance on-screen at the events, which will be streamed live to thousands of Pokémon fans around the world, and will have their travel and hotel costs covered by The Pokémon Company International.

Auditions are open to US residents who are at least 18 years old and who can attend both the US National Championships, July 4-6 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the World Championships, August 15-17 in Washington, D.C.

To be considered, entrants must submit an audition video where they commentate solo or with a partner on a Pokémon X, Pokémon Y, or Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) match. The recorded video must then be posted to YouTube with the title "Play! Pokémon Commentary Audition: [YOUR NAME]". Once the video is posted, entrants need to email [email protected] with the following information:

Email subject: Commentary Audition for [YOUR NAME]
Name:
TCG or Video Game:
Audition YouTube Link:
Pokémon event experience:
Additional comments:

All submissions must be posted online with information sent no later than April 21, 2014. As this is an audition and not a contest, The Pokémon Company International does not guarantee that any one person will be chosen from submitted entries.

Sources: http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/audition-to-be-a-pokemon-event-commentator/ and PR E-mail.

The Pokémon Company has announced, in association with the J-League, their Family Join Days (ファミリーJoinデイズ) festivities. To coincide with Golden Week, the J-League Family Join Days will take place from Saturday April 26th, 2014 until Tuesday May 6th, 2014. Elementary aged children that attend specific soccer games can receive special Pikachu TCG cards as a promo while supplies last. In addition there will also be a venue at the stadium to meet Pikachu.

A special Darkrai TCG card will be given to people that pre-order tickets for the 17th Pocket Monsters movie. People that spend 800yen or more on TCG related products can also receive the card while supplies last. Darkrai will be appearing in the upcoming 17th Movie short Pikachu, What Kind of Keys are These?


As a special bonus, at home games for the Urawa RED Diamonds, F.C Tokyo and Yokohama F Marinos, special Nintendo 3DS LL's featuring the team colors and artwork featuring Satoshi, Xerneas and Yveltal on the front and Pikachu and Diance on the back based on the 17th Pocket Monsters movie will be given out via lottery. The number of systems that will be given out will be determined by the score of the home team during the match.


Sources: http://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/2014/04/140404_e01.html and http://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/2014/04/140404_cd01.html

The Pokémon Company International announced that Magmar and Electabuzz will be distributed throughout Europe in April at participating stores. People can also get a free Pokémon TCG: XY special sampling pack that includes Pikachu (XY 42/146).

Distribution Details

Electabuzz: Level 30, Ability Vital Spirit and the moves Low Kick, Shock Wave, Light Screen and Thunder Punch.
Magmar: Level 30, Ability Vital Spirit and the moves Smokescreen, Fire Spin, Confuse Ray and Fire Punch.

Distribution Locations and Dates

Country	Distribution Dates	Locations
United Kingdom	April 4th, 2014~	GAME
Portugal	April 14th, 2014 until June 1st, 2014	FNAC
Australia	April 11th, 2014 until May 11th, 2014	EB Games, JB Hifi and Target
Spain	April 14th, 2014 until June 1st, 2014	Blade Center, Cadena Fnac, Canal Ocio, Carrefour, El Corte Inglés, GAME, GameStop, GAMESTORE, HIPERCOR, Media Markt, Toys R US, Worten, Alcampo, Eroski
France	April 14th, 2014~	GAME
Belgium	April 14th, 2014 until April 30th, 2014	FNAC
Germany	April 14th, 2014~	Gamestop, Toys R US, Müller, Karstadt, MediMax and Flashpoint

Press Release - Easter Comes Early This Year With Pokémon!

Receive Magmar In Pokémon X Or Electabuzz In Pokémon Y Video Games For Free At Game Uk This April! London, UK—March 31, 2014— Today, The Pokémon Company International announced an exciting Easter promotion for Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video game players, with a special Pokémon Trading Card Game: XY expansion treat, at the leading video game retailer, GAME UK.

Starting April 4 and for a limited time only, Pokémon video game players can receive a free Pokémon character—Magmar for Pokémon X or Electabuzz for Pokémon Y — at all GAME UK stores. The redeemable codes for the characters will be printed on cash receipts upon request, and no purchase is necessary. The Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games have already enjoyed huge success, selling nearly 12 million copies globally in the first four months since the worldwide launch in October 2013.

Both seasoned Pokémon Trainers and newcomers to the games will enjoy playing with Electabuzz and Magmar, who appeared in the very first Pokémon video games, Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version. Battling, trading, and collecting have always been at the heart of the Pokémon experience, so fans will appreciate the special bonus items that come with this distribution: Electabuzz is holding an Electirizer, and Magmar is holding a Magmarizer. When traded holding these items, Electabuzz will evolve into Electivire, and Magmar will evolve into Magmortar.

Pokémon Trading Card Game fans can also get in on the action with a free Pokémon TCG: XY special sampling pack available in store and while stocks last. All packs will include a special foil Pikachu card, plus one additional card from the Pokémon TCG: XY expansion. No purchase is necessary.

Pokémon TCG: XY launched on February 5 in the UK and includes all-new Mega Evolution Pokémon and new Fairy-type Pokémon. Since its release, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has shipped over 20 billion cards across 74 countries. The new Pokémon TCG: XY expansion is based on the best-selling Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

To support this exciting promotion, The Pokémon Company International is investing in a TV campaign to showcase the Pokémon universe, demonstrating how Pokémon TCG and video game content is part of the same world. Promotional spots will air from April 7 to April 27 on CiTV, Cartoon Network, Disney XD, and Sky Kids.

Sources: http://www.pokemonxy.com/en-gb/pokemon/electabuzz_magmar_distribution/
http://www.pokemonxy.com/nl-be/pokemon/electabuzz_magmar_distribution/
http://www.pokemonxy.com/pt-pt/pokemon/electabuzz_magmar_distribution/
http://www.pokemonxy.com/en-au/pokemon/electabuzz_magmar_distribution/
http://www.pokemonxy.com/es-es/pokemon/electabuzz_magmar_distribution/

The official Pokémon website has revealed the dates and locations for the Pokémon Spring Regional Championships. Tournaments will be held in cities across the United States and Canada in April of 2014. The Regional Championships is part of a title-event series where players compete for the title of Regional Champion!


Players that do well at the Regional Championships can get a lot of Championship Points as well as a chance to earn Travel Awards to Nationals. Players might even get an invitation to the 2014 Pokémon World Championships in Washington, DC. Top finishers get booster packs, trophies, and a huge step toward earning a National Championships Travel Award or Stipend from a pool of nearly $200,000 in travel allowances!

Locations

April 5–6, 2014 - Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center - 366 Main Street - Sturbridge, MA 01566
April 5–6, 2014 - The Classic Center - 300 N Thomas Street - Athens, GA 30601
April 5–6, 2014 - Overland Park International Trade Center - 6800 W 115th Street - Overland Park, KS 66211
April 5–6, 2014 - Washington State Convention Center - 800 Convention Place - Seattle, WA 98101
April 12–13, 2014 - Utah State Fairpark—Grand Building - 155 North 1000 West - Salt Lake City, UT 84116
April 12–13, 2014 - Monona Terrace Convention Center - 1 John Nolen Drive - Madison, WI 53703
April 26th, 2014 - (TCG Only) - Bingemans FunworX Indoor Playland - 425 Bingemans Centre Drive - Kitchener, ON N2B 3X7 Canada

Press Release

Prepare for the 2014 Spring Regional Championships! Participate in the latest round of Pokémon TCG and Video Game Regional Championships.

Want to test your skills against some of the best players in North America? Compete in the 2014 Spring Regional Championships! With expert play and a little luck, you could be one of the Pokémon TCG and video game players to win great prizes, as well as Championship Points that will get you closer to an invitation to the 2014 World Championships.

The Spring Regional Championships will take place in seven locations: Sturbridge, MA; Athens, GA; Overland Park, KS; and Seattle, WA, on April 5th, and Salt Lake City, UT, and Madison, WI, on April 12th. And Kitchener, Ontario, Canada will host a Pokémon TCG-only Regional Championship event on April 26th.

Participation in the Spring Regional Championships is open to all players. Arrive early to register because space is limited. Play! Pokémon members, be sure to bring your Player ID when you attend. If you're new to Pokémon competitive play and you don't have a Player ID, you’ll receive one for free at the event. Visit the Spring Regional Championships event page for complete information.

Start making your plans now to compete in the Pokémon Spring Regional Championships!

Sources: http://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/pokemon-events/pokemon-tournaments/spring-regional-championships/ and http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/prepare-for-the-2014-spring-regional-championships/

The official English Pokémon website officially revealed Pokémon TCG: XY Flashfire, the second XY English based Pokémon Card Game Expansion set on March 26th, 2014. It was released on May 7th, 2014. Images from the press release have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Press Release - Pokémon TCG: XY Flashfire available in stores on May 7, 2014

Pokémon TCG: XY—Flashfire is the latest expansion to the Pokémon Trading Card Game franchise. Booster packs and theme decks will be available in stores on May 7, 2014, bringing more than 100 new cards to collect and play.

Blaze your way to glory and watch the sparks fly when you battle with cards from the Pokémon TCG: XY—Flashfire expansion. Ignite the action with a firestorm of Fire-type Pokémon and watch your opponents’ terrified double-take as the awesome Mega Charizard-EX makes its scorching debut in this breathtaking expansion. Your explosive adventures will continue as your foes flee the field with certain doom flashing before their eyes! The XY—Flashfire expansion contains over 100 cards, including five new Pokémon-EX and three new Mega Evolution Pokémon.

Key Features of the Pokémon TCG: XY—Flashfire Expansion:

• Three new Mega Evolution Pokémon — The expansion features two powerful versions of Mega Charizard-EX (a Dragon-type Mega Charizard X and a Fire-type Mega Charizard Y), in addition to Mega Kangaskhan-EX.
• Five new Pokémon-EX cards and four new full-art Pokémon-EX rare Ultra cards—New Pokémon-EX cards include Charizard-EX (two versions), Toxicroak-EX, Magnezone-EX, and Kangaskhan-EX.
• New Pokémon—Over 25 Pokémon from the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games appear in this set, in addition to 15 Pokémon that appear in the Pokémon TCG for the very first time.
• 15 new Trainer cards including three new full-art rare Ultra Trainer cards—New Trainer cards bring increased depth and player strategy to competitive battles.
• Booster Packs—Packs of 10 additional cards selected from the expansion will be available.
• Theme decks—60-card preconstructed decks are designed to introduce players to the Pokémon TCG by enabling them to play right away.

Source: http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/xy-flashfire/explore-and-watch/

Japanese merchants have revealed the promo sheets for the upcoming XY3 Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion. Rising Fist (ライジングフィスト) will be released in Japan on June 14th, 2014. The set features Mega Lucario and will include over 96 cards. Booster packs will cost 150yen each plus tax and will include 5 cards.


A Mega Lucario Box (メガルカリオBOX) will also go on sale on June 14th, 2014 for 1480yen + tax. The box comes with: 1 Holo Luchabull EX （オリジナルキラカード「ルチャブルEX」）, 8 Booster Packs, a Long Card Box （ロングカードボックス）, 2x Strong Energy (ストロングエネルギー), 10 Fighting Energy, Sana (サナ) and Tierno (ティエルノ).

A pack of 32 Mega Lucario sleeves will also be available for 362yen + tax.

The Pokémon Company International signed a 5 year deal with Russia Free-to-Air broadcaster 2X2 to broadcast the Pokémon anime and latest movies. The series will start with the Pokémon: Black and White season on May 1st, 2014 while the Pokémon the Series: XY will launch in September. Viewers will be able to watch select episodes on 2X2's Pokémon TV app.

Lev Makarov, the CEO of 2X2 was quoted saying: “We are happy to have Pokémon back in the Russian market as it’s a well recognized brand in Russia. We have especially scheduled Pokémon at times when adults and children are at home, so they have more opportunities to spend time together.”

Emily Arons, the senior vice president of International Business at The Pokémon Company International said: “To be back airing in Russia is an exciting opportunity, and were happy to be partnering with a broadcaster like 2X2 as they expand their family offering.”

The Pokémon Trading Card Game: XY expansion will also launch later in the year.

Source: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/212769/Russia_celebrates_the_return_of_Pokeacutemonanimation.php

The official Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game website has confirmed that Wild Blaze (ワイルドブレイズ) is the next XY expansion and it will be released on March 15th, 2014. Players that purchase 20 booster packs from the set can receive a special promo Numerugon card.


Mega Battle Deck 60 M Lizardon EX (メガバトルデッキ60 MリザードンEX) will also be released on March 15th, 2014. The deck features Mega Lizardon EX as the title suggests. Players that purchase the deck from March 15th, 2014 through May 18th, 2014 can receive a special Pokémon Card Game XY Promotion Card Pack (ポケモンカードゲームXY プロモーションカードパック).


Sources: http://www.pokemon-card.com/campaign/xy2_box/

The official Pokémon website has launched a new design. The site now features 6 main areas which include: Explore Pokémon, Watch Pokémon TV, Play Games, Trading Card Game, Video Games and Attend Events.

The new Pokémon Trainer Club features an an all-new Trainer Builder. Members can get new clothing and accessories for their Trainer avatar to give it great look. New features are going to be added in the future.


Source: http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/see-whats-new-on-pokemoncom/

To celebrate the release of the new XY expansion to the Pokémon Card Game on December 13, 2013, the Corocoro Presents XY's Super Hot Start-Up Campaign (コロコロプレゼンツ　XY激アツ始動キャンペーン) will be distributing 4 special cards. For each 1000yen spent at participating stores that sell the Pokémon Card Game, players will receive 1 randomly sealed card pack featuring 1 of the 4 special campaign cards. Gablias, Dedenne, and Hitotsuki are the four special cards.


Source: http://www.pokemon-card.com/campaign/xy1/