A Weekend At Pokémon EUIC in London
The Main Events
I spent much of my first day near the main stage, watching the best Trainers in the world navigate intense match-ups. In the Pokémon Trading Card Game area, the atmosphere was intense. Every move is deliberate. Every prize check is filled with suspense. Every carefully sequenced turn mattered. A few rows over, the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Video Game Championships matches played out on large screens, with the audience shouting and cheering for their favourite team or Trainer.
There were dedicated sections for Pokémon GO and Pokémon UNITE as well. Pokémon GO matches were fast and exciting. Pokémon UNITE also drew in large crowds. It felt very much like an esports event where teams would cheer and celebrate their wins or console each other and congratulate their opponents after losses.
What I appreciated the most was just how open and wholesome the whole affair was. At the top tables, the Trainers shook hands, congratulated each other, wished each other luck, and showcased amazing sportsmanship. Yes, the stakes were high, but that did not once subtract from the atmosphere.
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Beyond the Tournament Tables
As I wandered past the main event area, I wondered what else there was on offer, given that Pokémon took up the entire northern hall of ExCeL London. And as it turns out, there was so much else I could do, and so much else on offer. I saw entire families at Play Labs, where staff were teaching curious parents of Trainers, or even eager younger family members of long-time fans, how to play the card game. There were parents holding Nintendo Switches for the first time while their kids shouted words of encouragement. I even remember a wholesome moment where a father celebrated getting beaten in a Pokémon battle by his daughter.
Side Events also launched all weekend long for players to just jam some friendly games. It reminded me of when I would go to the arcade. I saw families pooling tickets, kids counting and calculating exactly what they could get, and so many people making tough decisions between two prizes they wanted.
EUIC wasn’t just about the competition. For many, it was also a vacation, much like going to an amusement park or carnival with the family. There were attractions, photo opportunities, and very literal carnival games for everyone to play. There were large rest areas for families and friends, and people were constantly getting back into the games for more. The whole event really had the energy you would find going to a carnival or fair, and it balanced out the intensity of the main competition so well.
The Pokémon Center Experience
The Pokémon European International Championships also saw the reappearance of the exclusive Pokémon Centre pop-up store. It was filled to the brim with exclusive merchandise, plushies of almost every single Pokémon, and collectables you could not find anywhere else.
I saw parents taking pictures of products, people on video call wanting to buy gifts and bring things home for their loved ones, and couples trying on hats, shirts, and clothing together. Whether these were keepsakes or additions to collections, everyone found things they valued and wanted to bring back as a reminder of EUIC London.
The Community Experience
On Sunday, the focus and energy all shifted back towards the Main Events. All day long, the finals of each tournament were broadcast on the big screen for all to see. We saw champions crowned, crowds cheering, and the highest level of play all unfolding on the big screen. Even competitors who previously dropped out came together to cheer for their fellow teammates and rivals alike.
As I left the venue, what stayed with me was not just the high-level play but the sense of community and friendship I experienced over the weekend. It was a show full of ambition but also amicability. World-class Trainers were battling it out just meters away from parents and children trying out Pokémon for the first time. Cosplayers roamed the halls, stopping for pictures and brightening everyone’s day. Families created memories that would last a lifetime, competitors chased their dreams, and for one weekend in London, it felt like the whole world came together to celebrate Pokémon.
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