View source for Pokémon Video Game Showdown to pit U.S. vs. Japan

{{Article|
type=news |
picture= |
weekday=Thursday |
day=15 |
month=5 |
year=2008 |
time=22:05:17 |
discusstype=none |
discusslink= |
sourcetype=bulbanews |
sourcename=Argy |
sourcelink=User:Argy |
tagline=Registration open for official tournament |
blurb=Pokémon USA has opened registration for the Pokémon Video Game Showdown that will take place the weekend of August 15 in Orlando. Two Showdown Qualifier Tournaments will be held in July in New York and Los Angeles to determine U.S. participants. In total, 64 players will battle using Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in the final tournament. }}
{{CategorizeIn|Games|5|08}}

Pokémon USA has opened registration for the Pokémon Video Game Showdown that will take place the weekend of August 15 in Orlando. Two Showdown Qualifier Tournaments will be held in July in New York and Los Angeles to determine U.S. participants. In total, 64 players will battle using [[bp:Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Versions|Pokémon Diamond and Pearl]] in the final tournament.

To earn a chance to play at one of the Qualifier Tournaments, participants must register online at http://showdown.pokemon.com and take a Pokémon Video Game Showdown Quiz. To pass the quiz, at least 75 percent of the questions must be answered correctly. If the number of people passing the quiz exceeds the number of spaces available (128 per age division), players will be chosen at random to attend the Qualifier Tournaments. Unused invitations will be randomly given away on-site. After the Qualifier Tournaments, the top eight players in each age division will be awarded a trip to the final in Florida, which will be in the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort at 1751 Hotel Plaza Blvd. in Lake Buena Vista.

The Los Angeles Qualifier Tournament will be July 12 at the California Science Center at Exposition Park at the corner of 29th and Figueroa streets. The New York tournament will be July 19 at the Altman Building at 135 W. 18th St. There is no entry fee for any of the tournaments.

Age divisions are Junior (born in or after 1996) and Senior (born in or before 1995).

Pokémon USA says its Tournament Rules of Play will be in effect, and players should research them when building their teams. Each player must use four Pokémon from the North American versions of Diamond and Pearl. The tournament will use double battles (two vs. two), and all Pokémon must be Lv.50 or lower. A full list of rules, including banned Pokémon and moves, is located at http://showdown.pokemon.com/rules/qualifier_rules.xhtml.

Causing controversy among some players is the announcement that random checks will be performed on participants' game cartridges to eliminate those with hacked Pokémon or items. The official rules state that even if a player has not personally used a game alteration device (e.g. Action Replay), but has received a hacked Pokémon via trade or the {{bp|Global Trade Station}}, he or she will be disqualified from the tournament. The rules say each player is responsible for making sure his or her cartridge does not contain hacked data.