Pokémon Acknowledges Flaws in Its World Lottery System but Lacks a Better Solution: ‘The Demand Is Higher Than People Realize’
The Pokémon World Championships and XP fan convention wrapped up on Sunday, showcasing some exciting panels, enjoyable meetups, and thrilling battles on the main stage. However, the event faced a few mini-controversies over the weekend, including reports of scalpers, theft, and even the fire marshal shutting down parts of the venue, which cast a shadow over what was otherwise a fantastic experience. If you, like many others, missed out due to the event’s flawed lottery system, you might be feeling a bit let down. Interestingly, Pokémon esports director Chris Brown noted that more people experienced this disappointment than those who actually attended.
In a recent interview, Brown shared insights about the event, revealing that while 50,000 fans gathered in San Francisco, around 130,000 had entered the lottery for a chance to attend. “The public is unaware of the level of demand,” he explained. “Unfortunately, while 50,000 people are coming to Pokémon XP, many more are left disappointed because they couldn’t sign up.”
This imbalance between demand and supply affected nearly every aspect of the event. While venue capacities are a limitation beyond The Pokémon Company’s control, even special activities like autograph signings were accessible to only a small number of attendees. “A lot of people sign up, many can’t participate, and that creates a layer of disappointment,” Brown said. “From an events perspective, we have to consider whether that rare experience is worth the disappointment. I’m not sure what the answer is. We want to provide those premium experiences and ensure everyone has a fair chance, which is why we allow an interest list for sign-ups.”
You might wonder why a “first-come, first-served” system isn’t used. Brown explained that this approach could lead to a sign-up system crashing, resulting in frustration for everyone involved, much like the chaos during a Pokémon Center sale when both fans and scalpers rush to grab items. They prefer to offer a random chance for tickets to everyone.
“The only thing I can do from an event operator’s perspective is think about how to increase supply over time,” he stated. “Honestly, there’s not a better system than the interest list into lottery approach.”
Looking ahead, Brown mentioned that feedback will shape the company’s strategy for future World Championships and XP conventions, though he admits he doesn’t have a perfect solution to the issue. “There are definitely some obvious improvements we can make, but there’s a fundamental problem of supply not meeting demand. How do you manage that?” he pondered. “If anyone has suggestions, I’m all ears. But I don’t think anyone in the industry has really cracked that challenge.”
Next year’s Pokémon World Championships will be held in Singapore, and travel costs will also play a role in who can attend. While the event has traditionally taken place in the U.S., it has been shifting to other countries in recent years, a trend Brown confirmed will continue. “We need to look beyond the U.S.,” he said. “The Pokémon World Championships is meant to serve a global audience, and to do that effectively, it needs to rotate between different markets, so fans and players everywhere know there’s a chance Worlds could be near them at some point.”
The challenges facing The Pokémon Company are clear, and finding a solution that doesn’t favor scalpers or non-fans looking to profit from limited-edition merchandise is no easy task. It will be interesting to see if any changes are made for next year’s event.
