Looks like an official Nintendo Pokemon event is happening this summer:

http://showdown.pokemon.com/

A summary of the dates...


The Two Qualifier Events:

July 12th, 2008
California Science Center
Exposition Park
39th Street & Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90037

July 19, 2008
The Altman Building
135 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011


The top 8 players (at both places) will be able to go to the actual Pokemon Video Game Showdown:

August 16th, 2008
Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort
1751 Hotel Plaza Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830



Their rules, summarized:


-Double battles

-Max 4 pokemon per team (can be changed between rounds)

-Specie Clause (only one of each specie max)

-Level 50 or below (no forced level)

-Item Clause (only one of each item allowed)

-Soul Dew is banned

-No offensive / inappropriate / misleading nicknames

-The following pokemon are banned:
* 149 - Dragonite
* 150 - Mewtwo
* 151 - Mew
* 248 - Tyranitar
* 249 - Lugia
* 250 - Ho-Oh
* 251 - Celebi
* 382 - Kyogre
* 383 - Groudon
* 384 - Rayquaza
* 385 - Jirachi
* 386 - Deoxys
* 483 - Dialga
* 484 - Palkia
* 485 - Heatran
* 486 - Regigigas
* 487 - Giratina
* 489 - Phione
* 490 - Manaphy
* 491 - Darkrai
* 492 - Shaymin (not explicitly listed, but banned)
* 493 - Arceus (not explicitly listed, but banned)


-Moves must be viable (learned by level-up, egg, TM/HM, etc.)

-Games will be checked for hacks / illegal pokemon



Site is no longer loading but prizes include:

-Trip to location of choice (1st place) (saw Tokyo, Japan as an option)
-Custom DS
-Pokemon Packs (not sure what they mean)




My thoughts on this? Don't want to leave home for this.