Well, you guys, I've written over twenty articles on this site about Kaijudo - it's official. For this twenty-first article, I'm going to take a break from my usual plan of writing about gameplay in favor of recent news. I know a lot of you might prefer reading my strategy articles but it's my opinion that the news Wizards of the Coast released this past week regarding the future of organized play for Kaijudo is the most important news we've received since Kaijudo was released. I think at the very least, it's worthy of taking an article to try to put into words all the good things the events promise for this great game.
The News Itself
I very strongly urge each of you to take a trip to Kaijudo.com and look at the official announcements, which were also shared by ARG, but to put it simply for those of you who play other games, we're getting supported weekly locals, a rating and ranking system, the "Kaijudo Master Challenges", which are similar to regionals or invitationals, and the Kaijudo Championship in August, which can be equated to a North American Championship. Basically, the locals, known as Duel Days, will have monthly runs beginning in April, and in May, the ratings and rankings will commence. Also, the Kaijudo Master Challenges (KMCs), will begin in May and go through June. There will be twenty-four of those events, and first and second place will each qualify for the Championship in August, with the winner of each KMC getting a FREE trip. In addition, invites will also be given to the top ranked players overall. Pretty incredible stuff! It all kicks off with a Set Premiere of Dragonstrike Infernus on March 16. To see more specifics regarding promos and prizes, as well as any questions you may have, again be sure to check out Kaijudo.com. Now, onto the meat of this article!
A Reason to be Competitive
As a player who enjoys making competitive content for ARG and YouTube, I'll admit that it got a little boring sometimes without any real tournaments, though I still loved writing about the game. With this one announcement, that all has changed drastically. Even though Duel Days don't begin until April and we don't get our first run of KMCs until May, I now feel as though there's something to work towards. It's been years since I quit Yu-Gi-Oh and got out of TCGs entirely, and I was long-awaiting the day when I could be fully immersed in Kaijudo like I used to be in Duel Masters and YGO. The only thing most players were missing was a reason to be competitive, and now we have that.
Tournaments give all of the competitive-minded people out there, including myself, a reason to play, but that isn't the only audience events like KMCs appeal to. Even casual players enjoy TCGs because of the ability to meet other people who share their passions, and even if I traveled to the first KMC I could make it to in May and did terribly, the ability to go there with my team and take part in the tournament experience would be priceless. Locals have their appeal, and are very important, but nothing can really compare to meeting people from all over the country who also play the game, and that's what these events can deliver.
Putting the Focus on the Players and the Metagame
I think this goes hand-in-hand with the competitive aspect. Until now, with only two sets released and it having only been four months since the game's first actual set release, Kaijudo has been in a growing phase. Of course, the game and its playerbase should always grow, these events being on the horizon signals a shift to me, where the emphasis is more on the players. Gavin Verhey has recently started a "Deck Spotlight" segment on Kaijudo.com where he takes interesting decks from arround the community and features them. Things like that provide incentive for players to really immerse themselves in the strategy of the game and deckbuilding, and reward those players with dedication. When KMCs start, I'm sure there will be a lot of talk about what is winning, why it's winning, and who's running what, and that's something every game needs. That leads me into my next point!
The Future of My Articles
I'm (perhaps a little selfishly) excited most of all about all the possibilities this opens up for my articles, as well as my YouTube channel. Actually, not even just mine; having events allows people in the community everywhere to take part in discussing the game and its happenings, with a newfound purpose. There's nothing I find more fulfilling in a game than discussing strategy, analyzing decks, and figuring out ways to become a better player. I'm fascinated with it, and it's why I continue to play and invest so much time in Kaijudo.
There's a lot that goes into playing a game competitively that is really interesting to talk about. Metagaming is one such thing, and with so few sets and tournaments I there really hasn't been reason to dedicate a lot of time to it so far. When the KMCs begin and decklists start being analyzed, that'll make for some great writing material. In addition, I want to talk about how to prepare for an event, both mentally and in actual practice. I plan to do a series of articles closer to May to lead into the jump into KMCs. I'm really looking forward to writing them especially because it's been a while since I've played a major event for a TCG as well, and while my main goal is to help other players, especially the newer ones, it will also act as a refresher for myself. If all goes well, it should really set the stage for these events.
Overall, I couldn't be happier with all the news. I think it gives potential players a ton of good reasons to get into the game, and encourages those already in the game to become more involved and continue to develop their sense of strategy. Everyone in my local area is excited, and I encourage everyone reading to share this news with as many people as possible so we can kick off the first year of organized play with a bang! As always, leave a comment down below and let me know your thoughts, and I'll be back next week!
Latest posts by Christian Van Hoose (see all)
- What It Means to be a Lifelong Gamer - June 15, 2015
- Tournament Report: 1st Place Kaijudo Summer Championship - June 20, 2014
- Playtesting: Quality vs. Quantity with Spencer Swan - May 9, 2014
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