UDE cancels organized play in North America

YU-GI-OH! ORGANIZED PLAY CANCELED IN NORTH AMERICA

Konami’s Action Detrimental to Yu-Gi-Oh! Community

North Las Vegas, NV (February 17, 2009) – Due to circumstances beyond its control, Upper Deck regrets to announce that all future Organized Play programs and events in North America for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME have been canceled. The unavailability of product and prizes affects all upcoming North American Yu-Gi-Oh! OP programs and events, including Shonen Jump Championships, Regional Qualifiers, the National Championship and the monthly Hobby League program

For months, Upper Deck has continued in good faith to support Yu-Gi-Oh! OP, so as not to abandon the player and retailer community of which it has been an integral part for six years. Upper Deck remains committed to the Yu-Gi-Oh! community and will continue to fight Konami’s actions in court. Upper Deck hopes to once again be able to offer Duelists the high caliber events to which they have become accustomed.

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Simple answers as to why I'm with Konami on this one rather than UDE:

• UDE jacks up the prices of certain cards to extraordinary amounts, while the OCG has consistently been against that. This makes obtaining certain Yugioh cards that players truly want, especially to be innovative, is becoming extremely difficult.

• Konami controls 90% of Yugioh anyways, so most of the game won't change. (Ban lists, creative cards, etc)

• Regional and SJC players are truly the only ones loosing on this deal. They count on UDE's large organized play events and they live off the bragging rights of their rankings.

• If you are not one of these people, who solely play yugioh to win, 99% using cookie cutter decks than you haven't lost anything. Also these same players will be having events hosted by Konami soon enough so even they have nothing to worry about, except maybe taking a break for a little while.

Upsides of Konami taking yugioh:

• SNEAK PEAKS will take place AT HOBBIE LEAGUE STORES!!!

• The price of expensive cards WILL go down!! So they will be easier to get and we WILL see more creativity with the big name cards.

• The price of boxes and packs will fall because UDE no longer takes a cut of the profit.

In the end, Konami does control most of the game anyways and the events in North America will take place again under Konami's banner.

But the other changes that we've been dieing for, for so long, have finally come. I no longer have to work part time as an assasin just to buy 2 cards! :D