Do you have what it takes to defeat the elite Pokémon Trainers that competed at the 2012 Pokémon World Championships? Here's your chance! The Pokémon Company International announced that 12 of this year's video game finalists, including three-time World Champ, Ray Rizzo, will be the basis of Trainers in the highly-anticipated Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 video game releases that launch October 7th.

Starting October 22nd, three distribution events via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service will unlock Pokémon World Tournament events featuring finalists from the 2012 Pokémon World Championships. Each distribution will feature four finalists from a Pokémon World Championships age division, allowing players to put their skills to the test against some of the world's best. The 11 other finalists featured in the Pokémon World Tournament distribution and the distribution date breakdown will be announced on October 15th.

Before battling these elite Pokémon players in Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2, put your skills to the test in the real world by competing in the North American Pokémon Video Game Autumn Regional Championships on Sunday, October 14th. The Autumn Regionals are the first opportunity to earn an invite to the US or Canadian National Championships - bringing Pokémon video game players one step closer to the 2013 Pokémon World Championships in Vancouver! The Autumn Regionals will be held in five cities across North America including:

• Pennsylvania Convention Center - Philadelphia, PA
• Santa Clara County Fairgrounds - Santa Clara, CA
• Westin Memorial City - Houston, TX
• DoubleTree International Airport Hotel and Conference Centre - Mississauga (Toronto), ON Canada
• Allen County War Memorial Coliseum - Fort Wayne, IN

First place winners at the Autumn Regionals for each of the three age division receive a Travel Award to the US or Canada National Championships (based on citizenship), while other top finalists receive travel stipends to the tournaments. First and second place finalists also receive a first-round bye at Nationals.

Players Can Battle the Pokémon Teams of Three-Time World Champ Ray Rizzo and 11 Other Finalists in the Pokémon World Tournament

BELLEVUE, WA-September 24th, 2012-To be among the elite video game players at the Pokémon World Championships, players must collect and train a powerful Pokémon team, spend countless hours preparing for battle, and plan a strategy for the intense competition they must face. For a select few players who competed at the 2012 Pokémon World Championships in Hawaii, their hard work, dedication, and success earned them a place in the upcoming Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 video games launching October 7th in North America.

The Pokémon Company International announced today that 12 video game finalists from this year's Pokémon World Championships-including three-time World Champion Ray Rizzo-will be the basis for Pokémon Trainers in Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 to challenge players as part of the in-game Pokémon World Tournament. Beginning on October 22nd, three distribution events via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service will unlock Pokémon World Tournament events featuring those finalists. Each distribution will feature four finalists from a Pokémon World Championships age division, and you can battle them after reaching the Pokémon World Tournament found in the Unova region's Driftveil City.

You will battle the Pokémon teams that these top Trainers used at the 2012 Pokémon World Championships, including their moves, held items, Abilities, and Natures. Ray Rizzo's lineup of Tyranitar, Garchomp, Cresselia, Hydreigon, Metagross, and Rotom proved too strong for the competition as he battled his way to an unprecedented third Pokémon World Championships title. The Pokémon World Tournament gives players the chance to test their mettle against Gym Leaders and other popular Trainers from past Pokémon games, as well as these real-world Pokémon Trainers.

To participate in the Pokémon World Tournament distributions, you will need to have a copy of Pokémon Black 2 or Pokémon White 2, a system in the Nintendo DS family or the Nintendo 3DS family, and wireless broadband Internet access. More information, including dates for all three distributions, the complete list of finalists that will be included in the distributions, and further instructions on how to participate, will be announced October 15th.

Do you have what it takes to be a Pokémon World Champion? The North American Pokémon Video Game Autumn Regional Championships are taking place October 14th, 2012. The Autumn Regional Championships could be the first step on your journey to the 2013 Pokémon World Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia!