The Pokémon Company on PokémonXP’s Lottery System, Long Lines, and Limited Access to Workshops
The Pokémon Company International has defended the lottery-based sign-up system used for PokémonXP and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco, acknowledging widespread fan disappointment over limited access to tickets and exclusive activities. Chris Brown, the company's Director, Global Esports and Events Producer, said demand vastly outstripped supply, and while the company recognises the frustration this causes, it maintains that an interest-list-into-lottery model remains the fairest way to allocate scarce places when a first-come, first-served system would simply overload and crash.
Around 50,000 people are attending the combined events, yet more than 130,000 signed up for the PokémonXP pass interest list alone, more than twice the number of available badges. Access to smaller-scale extras, such as artist autograph sessions and workshops, is even more restricted, with roughly 2,000 of an estimated 50,000-plus applicants securing a spot this year, broadly in line with participation rates at previous World Championships. Brown said the company's main lever for improvement is increasing overall supply over time, rather than changing the allocation method itself.
- Pokémon Company defends lottery system for PokémonXP and Worlds sign-ups
- 130,000+ applied for PokémonXP passes; only ~50,000 attending
- Roughly 2,000 of 50,000+ hopefuls got workshop or autograph slots
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A lottery can be a fair way to allocate scarce places because everyone who registers has a chance, without rewarding people who can join fastest or withstand an overloaded sign-up system. With demand far exceeding capacity, the company can argue that the disappointment reflects limited supply rather than an allocation method that favours some fans by design.
The case against
A lottery may treat applicants equally at the moment of selection, but it leaves fans with little control and can make access to sought-after activities feel arbitrary, especially when only a small fraction get a place. The company could argue that clearer criteria or alternative allocation methods might give fans more predictability and confidence, while increasing capacity alone may not address concerns about how opportunities are distributed.