Play! Pokemon Press Release

Written by | August 4, 2010 | 60 comments | 1,137 views | Rating: 0

This was e-mailed to me…not really big news in my opinion but here it is:

PLAY! POKÉMON PROGRAM UNVEILED TO POKÉMON FANS WORLDWIDE

New Branding for Successful Pokémon Organized Play Program

Bellevue, WA-August 4, 2010-The Pokémon™ Company International introduced the Play! Pokémon program today, inviting Pokémon fans worldwide to join the fun at official, year-round Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and video game events. Whether a seasoned player or new to the world of Pokémon, fans will find that the Play! Pokémon program provides events suitable for all levels of Pokémon knowledge. Some players will opt to visit a local Pokémon League, where they can learn about Pokémon games and win prizes, while others may choose to test their strategies and training at competitive tournaments. No matter where Pokémon fans decide to join the fun, players at all levels are sure to have a great time.

“We are thrilled to introduce Play! Pokémon to our loyal fan base as well as to new TCG and video game fans,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing at The Pokémon Company International. “We want to welcome new fans to our Pokémon community, which has seen incredible growth in player participation over the past several years.”

The new name and logos announced today will appear initially on hats, binders, playmats, posters, and other printed materials. Players and fans at the 2010 Pokémon World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, August 14-15 will see the newly branded materials firsthand. For more information about Play! Pokémon, including where to find Play! Pokémon events, players should visit http://www.pokemon.com/us/organized-play/.

Play! Pokémon is the new name of what was formerly known as Pokémon Organized Play. Full plans about upcoming Play! Pokémon events will be outlined in the coming months, but they will closely match the timing used in the successful Pokémon Organized Play program.

Basically “Play! Pokemon” is the new name for “Pokemon Organized Play.” I don’t know if that means the tournament or league structures are changing, but I guess we’ll find out.

Image Credits: PokeBeach, Pokegym, and Pokemon Paradijs

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  • platapierule

    FIRST :D

    This seems like a good way to make kids not be so intimidated by big words like Organized. Overall not too exciting IMO…

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1339406775 Matthew Riddle

    Love the logo. Totally reminds me of the national sports logos.

  • ESP

    It was posted on PokeGym by a worker from TPCI that this is just a new and nicer logo.

  • bittyboy72

    The new logo looks kewl but I prefer “Organized Play” over “Play! Pokemon”.

  • mewuk85

    WoW!!! the logo is sick! but the name play pokemon, kinda weird… all in all it will be fun.

  • mewuk85

    I know rite! Can’t wait to see Mats and Sleeves.

  • JWittz

    you get this sent to you from the PUSA guy, adam? I got the same thing. unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be just a cosmetic change, but I feel like it's silly to change the logo and name of the program without changing anything about the program itself.

  • T0nu

    I've been calling this game “PP” for a long time. I'm glad this is finally official. (Only finn's will get this jk message :D)

  • Versilaryan

    It sounds a little less stern than Pokemon Organized Play; I'll give it that. >.>

  • http://www.facebook.com/Poly550 Cam Graybill

    lol, yeah

  • Pikey

    Well… I have to say I don't like the logo or the name and it seems a little on the pointless side :/

    Why do they need to rebrand it again?

  • http://www.teamomar.com/ Ed

    I have to say, I'd rather attend a POP event than a PP event.

  • SkyAoiSora

    Why would you say that? There's no announced difference between the two. o-o

  • SkyAoiSora

    Possibly just to bring more attention to the game. I for one like it. But that's my opinion. =]

  • http://www.teamomar.com/ Ed

    For the same reason I'd rather attend a POP event than a POOP event. I know, it's juvenile, but so is Pokemon in general.

  • Pikey

    I have to agree. Awesome explanation by the way.

    “Lets Go Play Some POOP!”

  • Pikey

    Well lets hope it works we could do with some publicity.

    On the plus side. The word “Play” looks good. That must have been a Smeargle
    “Pokemon” has been chiselled out of a rock by Geodude.

    And the Picture… well… I think anything could of done that o_0

  • SkyAoiSora

    Wtf does POOP stand for? Or are you just saying that PP sounds like Peepee and that you therefore do not like the name? honestly, I can get over it. :P

  • http://www.teamomar.com/ Ed

    I think you've caught on just fine. But potty jokes aside, “Pop” has a better ring to it.

  • Espeon200

    I dunno. I'm kind of split because I liked calling it POP. Granted, I'll probably still call it that for awhile. I wonder if TPCI is going to call it PLAY! for short the same way that they always shortened Pokemon Organized Play to POP.

    Darnit… I was looking forward to getting a professor lab coat after I reported this season's league, and I bet that they'll either discontinue it of put the new logo, which is sad because I'm just not a fan of the logo itself.

  • awesomedude

    i dont get why it matters what the game is called

  • SkyAoiSora

    The POP logo and the professor logo are different. So they'll probably put the professor and/or the new logo. =]

  • SkyAoiSora

    I thought you meant that POOP was actually an acronym where all the letters meant something and was wondering to what you were referring, That's all. Sorry. :P

  • Pikkdogs

    you hit the nail on the head I think.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

    I don't think anything will be changing too much.

    “Pokémon events will be outlined in the coming months, but they will closely match the timing used in the successful Pokémon Organized Play program.”

  • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

    Instead of Pokemon Organized Play, now it's just called Play! Pokemon

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    That's the first thing I thought about the logo too, haha.

  • Espeon200

    You know, you're absolutely right. Looked at it again and it does not use to POP logo, just the Professor logo. My dreams of world domination while wearing a white lab coat do not have to die!

  • chrataxe

    Man, if they are getting a hold of you guys directly, watch out! First, they sue Beckett, Jwittz and 6P are next…

    I'm sure in the beginning, Pokemon probably contacted Beckett to get them to help get the word out for stuff like this…I'm just saying, beware…

  • chrataxe

    I thought something like this was coming, I see way too much advertising on CN nowadays for a major branding push to not happen.

    But, I must say, all the time they've spent (and you KNOW they spent some time) and this is the best they can do? Play Pokemon? I think that is horrible…at least POP gave you an idea as to what POP was…if you said you had a PP promo, I would give you the dumbest blank stare I could muster as I would have know idea you meant.

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  • JWittz

    The difference is. . .

    1) Becket has been doing this for a long time, wheras we're very new and under the radar
    2) Becket makes a direct profit from their card scans, whereas the profit me and adam make come pretty much solely through ads.
    3) Becket was given warnings to stop in 2007 and 2009, and ignored them both
    4) We're still not sure what value per card the court is going to agree to, the case isn't over yet.

    http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/07/19/Pokemo…

  • SkyAoiSora

    Wouldn't that be just because you knew what POP meant and PP is just a new acronym? >.> I'm sure that if you went up to someone who didnt' know about pokemon cards or something and said “Yo I got a new POP promo!” they'd give you the exact same blank stare. It's a new acronym, coming along with a new name, equipped with a new logo. I don't see the issue. o-o

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    Yeah Dave sent it to me. I wish he'd send us some card samples instead…

    I agree that they should have at least made some changes to the play structure if they are changing the name. Maybe that will eventually come.

    I guess the think this name is more inviting for young people.

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    Keep me posted on that case (or make a profit video in it)… it will be interesting to see what ends up happening.

  • chrataxe

    Well, I couldn't have been any more confusing in my post if I tried.

    I said POP and PP in my last paragraph because I was to lazy to type, but I can see how confusing that could've been. What I should have said was:

    “at least Pokemon Organized Play gave you an idea as to what Pokemon Organized Play was…if you said you had a Play Pokemon promo, I would give you the dumbest blank stare I could muster as I would have know idea you meant.”

    I was hinting that THE most important part of Pokemon Organized Play was ORGANIZED, meaning it was some sort of official setting. Play Pokemon…sounds like something my kids do on the weekend without any supervision or any organization.

  • chrataxe

    Well, I was half joking.

    But, here is the questions your points bring up:

    1) You were contacted by Pokemon, how “under the radar” are you?
    2) Yes, some of Beckett's profit was from scans, but not all of it. I would venture to say very little, infact. I don't buy Beckett often, but when I do, its for the articles and to laugh at their ridiculous card values, which, is actually what Beckett does, values cards…I remember buying Beckett back in 1990 as a kid to value my baseball cards. Is Pokemon the only one to sue them thus far? As far as scans go, I go to online sights more than Beckett for them. So, is Bebesearch next? They are in direct violation of copyright laws; they scan they cards, make them available and give people the means further copy them with the proxies. Permission or not, that is a violation of copyright laws. Copyright laws means, quite literally, “the right to copy.” So, even if Bebessearch.com has permission, they are STILL in violation of the law, Pokemon just isn't pursuing them. Which, brings me to my next point?
    3) How long before Pokemon issues warnings to Jwittz, 6P, Bebessearch, despite giving their blessing years previous?

    It hasn't happened yet, but the picture war on the internet is just about to start, I'm serious. The FBI sent a letter to Wikipedia the other day telling them to remove the FBI seal from their site. This is a bit different, I think, since it is a government agency and is owned by the people, thus they don't have the authority to tell people they can or cannot use emblems or logos or anything that tax dollars pay for. BUT, in the private sector, copyright laws are getting broken right and left on the internet. It just a matter of time before either a). a defunct company on the downward spiral makes one last money making effort by suing for that last dollar for copyright infringement, or b) the up and coming stingy a-holes want more money because they feel you aren't giving them enough of your money already. Pokemon is hard to define as to which they fall in. Sure, they seem to be doing well financially, but they are near as popular as they once were, but they appear to be rising quickly, so they may very well fall into both categories, making it a very slippery slope.

    I strongly believe in the free market and I even have some problems with monopoly regulation, but I also believe you don't bite the hand that feeds you. This isn't Beckett's only market, they will be fine without Pokemon. Pokemon, however, was getting free exposure and free advertising from Beckett (meaning that Beckett incurred all cost of the magazine). Beckett was in NO WAY taking away from their ability to make money and was in fact only helping them. I don't know much, but I know Karma is a bitch…

  • chrataxe

    Yes he did. He was first….

  • http://forum.pokemon.fi/ Master Entei

    Oh, I hadn't noticed that. :D Now there isn't a reason NOT to call it PP.

    For some reason I don't like the name… I guess I'll get used to it after time.

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