Pokémon Trading Card Game Online tests new tournament feature
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The Pokémon Trading Card Game Online has been updated with a test for a new feature that allows players to compete in randomly selected eight-bracket tournaments for in-game prizes. The test is scheduled to run from now until 3:00 PM EST on Monday, January 12th.
There are two different ways for players to qualify to enter a tournament:
- Tournament Tickets, which can be purchased with real money throughout the test period via in-app purchases for users of the iPad version or on the TCGO's webpage for PC and Mac users. They can also be earned through gameplay. Players who both enter a tournament with Tournament Tickets and place high in that tournament will be rewarded with various items for use in the online game such as booster packs and promo cards. The prizes vary by event.
- Players who choose not to enter a tournament with Tournament Tickets can use Trainer Tokens earned through the Pokémon Trainer Club to enter tournaments. Players who both enter a tournament with Trainer Tokens and place high in that tournament will be rewarded with Tournament Tickets which can be used to enter additional tournaments.
Players who choose to enter a tournament can choose between four deck formats with which to play:
- Theme Deck - Players compete using pre-constructed Theme Decks obtained in the online game by redeeming code cards that come with physical Theme Decks.
- Unlimited - Players compete using custom-built decks which may contain any cards available in the TCGO.
- Expanded - Players compete using custom-built decks which may contain any cards from BW1 and later expansions.
- Standard - Players compete using custom-built decks which may contain any cards from XY1 and later expansions.
Players upon entering a tournament are put into an 8 player queue with other players competing with the same deck format. Once that queue is full, the tournament will begin and a new queue will open up. The 8 players are randomly assigned spaces in a single-elimination bracket and play until only one player has not lost. After the last match in the tournament has ended, whatever prizes the player has won will be automatically placed into their online collection.
Use of this new tournament feature is a test for now, but this may lead to planned tournaments in the TCGO as opposed to the random VS. play that is currently available.