A Lao-Korean Pokémon player will compete in the upcoming Pokémon World Championships in Japan from 11 to 13 August this year.
21-year-old Jong Dae Jong, a resident of Vientiane Capital, will participate and represent Thailand in the competition which will also host Pokémon players from across the globe at Pacific Convention Plaza Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan.
Jong says he is representing Thailand because he was born there and is also a member of the Esports team in the country called Pokemon Master Academy.
“The Thai gaming community has been supportive of me ever since I started my gaming journey. On the other side, the Lao gaming community has limited opportunities and lesser access to a wider variety of gaming genres because only a few of them are competitive. But I hope that one day the gaming community here will improve and that I will be able to represent Laos in the future.”
The players will compete for over USD 500,000 in prize money, the title of Pokémon World Champion, and return invitations to participate in next year’s competition, according to the official website of Pokemon.
“I have worked hard for this tournament because the Pokemon Company changed the rules from last year, making it more difficult for the Thai players who had to go through the elimination round. Nevertheless, I have made it to the Pokémon World Championship,” said the Lao-Korean Pokemon player.
The young Pokemon player has competed in several competitions in Thailand, the most recent being VGC Thailand 2023 or 2023 Thailand National Championships, Victory Road World Cup in 2022, and other international competitions.
“Pokémon competition categories include the Video Game Championship, Trading Card Games, Pokemon Go, and Pokemon Unite, among others,” said Jong Dae Jong.
“I will participate in the Video Game Championship, but we refer to it as VGC. VGC is a game that involves numerous factors, including strategy, idea, mentality, and luck,” he added.
The Pokémon World Championships is an annual competition that takes place every August. In the VGC competition, players choose their main Pokeballs to attack opponents in order to win.
“I am aware of my ability and strengths and have never been afraid of my opponents; I have always respected them. I believe I am one of the most formidable players in the history of the VGC,” the 21-year-old Jong player said.
