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POKÉMON EXPANDING WAYS TO COMPETE BY ADDING WI-FI TOURNAMENTS TO ITS 2013 VIDEO GAME CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SEASON Top Finishers of the 2012 VGCS Winter Battle Will Earn Byes at Upcoming Live Tournaments and Highly Coveted Championship Points The Pokémon Company International announced today it is adding Global Battle Union (GBU) Wi-Fi tournaments to its 2013 Video Game Championship Series season, making it easier than ever for video game players to step down the road to the Pokémon World Championships. Beginning with the 2012 VGCS Winter Battle, taking place December 13th through December 17th, top finishers of the Wi-Fi tournament will earn byes at live tournaments of which more details will be announced shortly. Top participants will also receive Championship Points, bringing them one step closer to potentially earning invitations to the 2013 Pokémon World Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia. The 2012 VGCS Winter Battle is the first time results from a GBU Wi-Fi Competition will count in the European Pokémon Video Game Championships Series season. Players can register for the event between Wednesday, December 5th at Midnight GMT and Thursday, December 13th at 11:59 P.M. GMT at pokemon.co.uk/pgl with gameplay beginning December 13th at Midnight GMT. Adding to the fun, players who maintain a low disconnect rate in the 2012 VGCS Winter Battle rankings will be awarded a Custap Berry. The powerful Custap Berry gives the Pokémon holding it a better chance to strike first the turn after its HP gets low. “Incorporating Wi-Fi tournaments into the European Play! Pokémon Video Game Championships Series provides opportunities for players to battle more often,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “The upcoming GBU Wi-Fi Competitions are an easy way to battle competitively and take a step down the road to the Pokémon World Championships.” The 2012 VGCS Winter Battle is one of five GBU tournaments scheduled for the Video Game Championship Series season, joining live events taking place throughout Europe. Numerous casual GBU tournaments will be announced soon. Upcoming GBU Wi-Fi  tournaments include: • Wi-Fi Event: 2012 VGCS Winter Battle (December 13th–17th, 2012) • Wi-Fi Event: 2013 Pokémon International Challenge January (January 24th–28th, 2013) • Wi-Fi Event: 2013 Pokémon International Challenge March (March 21st–25th, 2013) • Wi-Fi Event: 2013 Pokémon International Challenge April (April 18th–21st, 2013) • Wi-Fi Event: 2013 Pokémon International Challenge June (June 20th–24th, 2013) The 2012 VGCS Winter Battle runs Thursday, December 13th at Midnight GMT through Monday, December 17th at 11:59 P.M. GMT (Start and end times listed in UTC-time on the Pokémon Global Link website). Players wishing to compete need a copy of the Pokémon Black 2 or Pokémon White 2 video game, a Pokémon Trainer Club account, a Nintendo DS or Nintendo 3DS system, and broadband Internet access. Battles will take place in the Global Battle Union (www.pokemon.co.uk/pgl). For more information about the 2013 Video Game Championship Series season, including rules, regulations, and registration details, please visit pokemon.co.uk/play. To create a Pokémon Trainer Club account, please visitwww.pokemon.co.uk.  Stay tuned for details regarding the European Live events in Europe.