Pokémon.com: Difference between revisions

'''Pok{{tt|é|Officially uses regular &quot;e&quot;}}mon.com''', known as ''Pokémon World'' prior to 2002, is the official international [[Pokémon]] website, which was first created on 8 January 1998<ref>[http://www.whois.net/whois/pokemon.com WHOIS information for Pokémon.com]</ref>. The website has gone by many different names and used many different Internet addresses throughout its history, such as ''Pokémon-games.com'' and ''Go-Pokemon.com'', though [[The Pokémon Company International]] has finally settled on the simple ''Pokémon.com'' nominer. Four [[#Website versions|full version]] of the official Pokémon.com website are maintained, each focusing on a specific language, country, or region. Several other partials websites are also maintained. The current version of the website, introduced on 27 January 2014, saw a complete reorganization of website content and visual design, as well as seeing the prominent return of the ''"[[Gotta catch 'em all!]]"'' slogan.

:''NOTE: See [[#External links|External links]] at the bottom of this page in order to view archived versions of the Pokémon.com website.''

With the official launch of the ''Pokémon.com'' website on January 8, 1998, it was little more than a repository for [[#News and announcements|News and announcements]] about the then current [[#Video Games|Pokémon video games]], [[#Trading Card Game|Pokémon Trading Card Game]], and [[#Attend Events|organized Play! Pokémon events]]. While using the ''"Pokémon.com"'' web-browser address, the website was referred as ''Pokémon World'' or the ''Pokémon Times''.

Between 4 May 1999 and 29 November 1999, the ''Pokémon.com'' website underwent its first redesign. This update introduced new content such as the first version of [[#Play Games|Pokémon browser-based online games]] and an [[#Explore Pokémon|online Pokédex]] in which users could look up information on then current Pokémon video game versions of specific [[Pokémon]] as well as information about [[#Watch Pokémon TV|Pokémon anime]] television episodes and movies.

Between 9 September 2001 and 24 January 2002, the website underwent a minor overhauled of its design. The only significant changes were the introduction of the [[#Pokémon Center|Pokémon Center]] as a separate online store for purchasing [[Pokémon]] merchandise and the relabeling of the ''Pokémon.com'' website itself from ''Pokémon World'' to just ''Pokémon.com''.

In mid-2002 (sometime between 4 June and 22 July), the website underwent a complete overhauled of its design but largely left the content in place.

Between 19 June 2003 and 19 July 2003, the website underwent a complete overhauled of its design and content. Content was separate into separate websites. ''Pokémon.com'' retained [[#News and announcements|News and announcements]].  The separate sites were ''Pokémon-games.com'' (March 2003 at least to January 2009) for the [[#Video Games|Pokémon video games]], ''Go-Pokemon.com'', and ''Pokemon-tcg.com'' (from May 2003 to 27 January 2014) for the [[#Trading Card Game|Pokémon Trading Card Game]])

The current version of the ''Pokémon.com'' website was implemented on 27 January 2014 and again represented a complete overhaul of content and design. The basic layout was "simplified" along with the full incorporation of what had also been the separate [[#Trading Card Game|Pokémon Trading Card Game]] website, including the incorporation of the current user customizable [[#Trainer avatar|Trainer avatar]] system that allows users to define their owner visual look and style.

Four full versions of the ''Pokémon.com'' website are currently maintained, each with identical design style, content and content organization, and almost identical [[#News and announcements|News and announcements]] information:

Partial translations of the website exist for several additional countries and languages. These partial versions include full implementations of the [[#Explore Pokémon|Explore Pokémon]] section's [[Pokédex]] and the [[#Watch Pokémon TV|Watch Pokémon TV]] episodes of the [[Pokémon anime]] television series. These partial implementations also incompletely incorporate the [[#Play Games|Play Games]] section's [[Pokémon.com online games|Pokémon browser-based online games]]. The [[#Trading Card Game|Trading Card Game]], [[#Video Games|Video Games]], and [[#Attend Events|Attend Events]] sections are unimplemented with the exception of a special section dedicated to the downloadable [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]] and a link to the separate [[#Pokémon Global Link|Pokémon Global Link]] website:

There are also three office Pokémon websites that do not necessarily reflect the ''Pokémon.com'' design and content:

The initial Landing page is the initial page users see when they enter ''"Pokémon.com"'' into their web-browser. It is regularly updated to highlight various website content and news. Users may always return to the Landing page by clicking on the "Pokémon Gotta catch 'em all!" graphic on the left side of the website's primary [[#Navigation menu|Navigation menu]] located at the top of each Pokémon.com page.

The Landing page also incorporates the only direct website link to [[#External links|all collated website news]], announcements, and articles in one location. Otherwise, news articles are spread across the website by topic appearing separately in the [[#Trading Card Game|Trading Card Game]], [[#Video Games|Video Games]], and [[#Attend Events|Attend Events]] sections.

Opening news articles that are categorized as ''"pokemon-news"'' on typically but not always earn the user a single [[Trainer Token]].  Articles without the ''"pokemon-news"'' categorization to not earn Trainer Tokens.  However, opening the same article on different full versions of the website do, typically, earn the user a Trainer Token for each of the [[#Website versions|full versions]] of the website.

The ''Pokémon Trainer Club'' contains website user account information. This section is not easily identifiable under the name ''"Pokémon Trainer Club"''. However, it is easy to locate. It is the navigation bar on the upper, left side of most Pokémon.com webpages. It provides a means for Pokémon.com users to ''"Sign In"'' if they already have an existing account, ''"Join"'' to create an account, and also contains a website ''"Search"'' interface. By creating an account, users are able to earn [[Trainer Tokens]] and [[#Stamps|Stamps]], keep track of [[#Play Games|online browser-based game]] scores, friend other users, and centrally manage other Pokémon accounts.

Once logged into with a user account, a "picture" appears at the top of the upper, left side navigation bar. This picture represents the user's current  [[#Trainer avatar|Trainer avatar]]. When the picture is selected, the side navigation bar becomes a ''"slide-out window''' allowing the user access the following information:

* A ''"Shop for Items/Trainer Store"'' feature users to purchase items for their ''"Trainer avatar"'' with [[Trainer Tokens]] (added on 18 March 2014).

In the ''compressed'' state, once a user is logged in, the upper, left side navigation bar side also provides access to the following information:

* A ''"Messages"'' and user ''"[[#Profile overview|Profile overview]]"'' section when selected, where users may adjust settings, add and manager accounts for their children, and centrally manager other Pokémon accounts,

The Pokémon.com ''"Customized Trainer"'' and ''"Shop for Items/Trainer Store"'' features are fully compatible with the {{DL|Pokémon Trading Card Game Online|Shop|in-game Shop}} and {{DL|Pokémon Trading Card Game Online|Avatar Creator}}.  [[Trainer Token]]s earned in either location may be used to purchase clothing items on the Pokémon.com website or in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. Trainer/Avatar clothing items available for purchase in one are not always available for purchase in the other. Items added in one are not always immediately visible in the other. However, changes made to the user's ''"Customized Trainer"'' or ''"Customized Avatar"'' in one location will be seen in the other location the next time the user logs back in.

====Profile overview====

The Profile overview section provides access to user setting not necessarily specific to the Pokémon.com website itself. It is a central repository for all Pokémon user accounts.

:''NOTE: Be certain to select “Email Preferences: I would like to receive marketing email messages..." in order to receive the a monthly e-mail newsletter, which often contains Redeemable codes for in-game rewards for both [[Pokémon games|Pokémon video games]] and [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]].

Adult parents may create and manage separate accounts for each of their children in the [[#Profile overview|Profile overview]] section, which is accessible through the adult's ''"Profile overview'''. While [[The Pokémon Company International]] strives to be [http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/play-online/parents-guide/ child friendly], parents may further restrict access to certain website and in-game [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]] features. For examples, some in-game features such as ''"Public Chat"'' and ''"Private Messaging"'' in the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]] are always inaccessible with a child account, while other in-game features may be further restricted by the adult parent such as ''"Friend Chat"'', ''"Game Chat"'', ''"Shopping"'', and ''"Trading"''.

[[File:Online English Pokédex.png|thumb|300px|[http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokedex/ The online Pokédex]]]

Like other [[Pokédex]]es, it allows the user to search for Pokémon by either ''Name'' or ''Number'' in "Basic Search Mode". "Advanced Search Mode" allows searched by ''Type'', ''Weakness'', ''Ability'', ''Height'', and ''Weight''. The 27 January 2014 update redesigned the Pokédex with a grid-like structure. Without any search criteria, the user may scroll through the grid-like list of Pokémon by either ''Name'' or ''Number'' (currently 1 to 719). Selecting a given Pokémon brings up details on that given Pokémon, with two versions tied to the current video game release, currently an Omega Ruby version and an Alpha Sapphire version. Details include a picture, brief description, height, weight, gender, category, abilities, type, weaknesses, basic stats bar chart showing relative strength (HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed), and [[Evolution]] chart (if any).

Before the last overhaul, the television section simply provided a synopsis of [[Pokémon anime]] episodes. After the overhaul, a continuously cycling selection of episodes, which may be viewed online, are interspersed with synopsis summaries and screenshots for every episode and movie.

Rather than separating the episodes by seasons, the episodes are instead categorized under a special 'theme' such as a specific [[Pokémon]] and also by 'region' — the 'Kanto Channel', the 'Johto Channel', the 'Hoenn Channel', the 'Sinnoh Channel' and the 'Unova Channel'. There is also an option to 'Explore All Seasons' at the bottom of the page, if a traditional season by season search is preferred.

Formerly knows as the ''Pokémon Fun Zone'' before the last overhaul, this Play Games section presents a large number of browser-based video games for the user's enjoyment. Most are strategy based, although the exact design varies widely, and feature a specific theme or [[Pokémon]]. Details about each game is provided on [[Pokémon.com online games]]. These games are not only designed to require short installments of time, but they reward the user for successful achievements with [[Trainer Tokens]]. Successfully playing browser-based games earn 1, 3, or 5 Trainer Tokens depending on the specific game and whether the user has successfully played the game for the first time or successfully reached a higher success threshold on subsequent attempts. Each individual game defines what is a successful attempt differently.

Before the 2010 update, games were mostly based on [[Generation III]] and {{game|Platinum}}. After the 2010 update the games featured a larger number of {{cat|Generation IV Pokémon}}, all translated from the Japanese [[Pokémon Daisuki Club]]. Games released after the 2014 update added the ability to earn [[Trainer Tokens]] and increased in variety, many of which were also brought over from the Pokémon Daisuki Club. Games available on the site prior to the 2014 update are not longer available.

Before the 2014 overhaul, most [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]] news appeared on separate ''Go-Pokémon.com'' website. However, after the overhaul, everything except for the [[#Pokémon Trading Card Game Online Forum|forums]] for the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]] were folded into to Pokémon.com website proper. The Trading Card Game section includes:

*a card Database providing information on [[List of Pokémon Trading Card Game expansions|expansions]] and cards from {{TCG|EX Ruby & Sapphire}} to the current set,

*[[#News and announcements|strategies guides, news and announcement articles]] dating back to November 2013,

*the downloadable ''Pokémon Trading Card Game Online'' for PC, Mac, and Ipad,

*a step-by-step "How to Play" set of tutorials with the {{OBP|Professor|TCGO}}, and

*a Product Gallery.

Before the overhaul, most of the [[Pokémon games|Pokémon video games]] had their own mini-sites and sub-sites section with information and other materials about a given video games.  While the newest video game release often still have their own mini-sites, this section of the Pokémon.com website now highlights information about all video games in one location and acts as a central repository of game information, announcements, and news on all currently available video games, including links to the individual game mini-sites. This section's [[#News and announcements|news articles and announcements]] date back to November 2013.

Stamps represent an additional means of rewarding users for using the website and its various contents. The system was initially introduced in 28 August 2014 and substantial expanded on 30 March 2015. Stamps may be earned by reading [[#News and announcements|news articles]], looking up [[Pokémon]] in the [[#Explore Pokémon|Pokédex]], watching [[#Watch Pokémon TV|Pokémon anime]] television episodes, playing [[#Play Games|browser-based minigames]], and for viewing [[#Trading Card Game|Pokémon Trading Card Game]] cards, as well as by participating in official [[|Attend Events|Play! Pokémon events]]. As Stamps are awarded, 6 [[Trainer Token]]s are earned. Some Stamps are one-time events only.  Other Stamps increase in level (1 to 10). The more Stamps earned and the more Stamps with higher levels contribute to the assignment of a user's account level.

*Level 1 — Sign in to the [[Account Information|Pokémon Trainer Club]] 3 days in a row

[[File:Pokémon Center online.png|thumb|260px|The original Pokémon Center website on its last day of operation]]

The [[#External links|Pokémon Center] is an online store where user may purchase many different kinds of Pokémon merchandise over the Internet. It was reintroduced on 6 August 2014 (although some select fans were invited to access it early starting on 2 July 2014). It separate website was initially closed on 1 February 2008 to prioritize the distribution and sale of Pokémon merchandise with local retailers. The Pokémon Center online store was launched initially around 4 February 2002.

 

The official [[#External links|Pokémon Trading Card Game Online forum]] is a separate website dedicated to the downloadable [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]]. It was overhauled to reflect the ''Pokémon.com'' visual design, to improve its usability, and to reintroduce the temporarily removed [[#Trainer avatar|Trainer avatar]] system in late 2014.

*The only time the site refers to itself as "Pokémon.com" (with the acute accent), excluding logos, is if the user clicks on an external link on the {{2v2|HeartGold|SoulSilver}} website.