PokéBeach: Difference between revisions

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'''PokéBeach''' is a Pokémon fan site run by Jon Sahagian, better known as "Water Pokémon Master". The site focuses on several aspects of the fandom, though its primary focus is the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]]. The site was formerly well-known for its card scans.
'''PokéBeach''' is a Pokémon fan site run by Jon Sahagian, better known as "Water Pokémon Master." The site primarily focuses on the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]], posting news, strategy articles, and hosting discussions about competitive play. The website also covers the larger aspects of the Pokémon franchise.


==History==
==History==


The site was launched in its current form on July 15, 2003, although Sahagian had previous iterations of the site going back to 1999.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20040803015658/http://www.pokebeach.com:80/about.shtml</ref> Since then, it has become one of the most popular Pokémon fan sites on the internet.
The site was launched in its current form on July 15, 2003, although Sahagian had previous iterations of the site going back to 1999.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20040803015658/http://www.pokebeach.com:80/about.shtml</ref> Since then, it has become one of the most popular Pokémon fan sites on the Internet.


In July 2008, Sahagian was able to have an interview with [[Masamitsu Hidaka]], a director and storyboard artist for the {{pkmn|anime}}. In it, he revealed previously unknown information about the series, including discussion about the intended purpose of the [[GS Ball]] and the reasons behind Brock's replacement in [[S02|the second anime season]].<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2008/07/interview-with-masamitsu-hidaka-at-anime-expo</ref><ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2008/07/second-pokemon-interview-with-masamitsu-hidaka-many-interesting-points</ref>
In July 2008, Sahagian held an interview with [[Masamitsu Hidaka]], a director and storyboard artist for the {{pkmn|anime}}. In it, he revealed previously unknown information about the series, including discussion about the intended purpose of the [[GS Ball]] and the reasons behind Brock's replacement in [[S02|the second anime season]].<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2008/07/interview-with-masamitsu-hidaka-at-anime-expo</ref><ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2008/07/second-pokemon-interview-with-masamitsu-hidaka-many-interesting-points</ref>


Upon the release of {{game|Black and White|s}} in September 2010, PokéBeach was among a few websites to receive a cease and desist order from Nintendo for posting early images of Pokémon Black and White. The site then temporarily changed all pictures from the games to pictures of {{p|Ditto}} and changed their name to PokerBeach as a joke to protest Nintendo's actions.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2010/09/no-black-white-images-for-you</ref> It has since gone back to using the images and using the name PokéBeach.
Upon the release of {{game|Black and White|s}} in September 2010, PokéBeach was among a few Pokémon fan sites to receive a cease and desist order from Nintendo for posting early images of Pokémon Black and White. The site then temporarily changed all pictures from the games to pictures of {{p|Ditto}} and changed their name to PokerBeach as a joke to protest Nintendo's actions.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2010/09/no-black-white-images-for-you</ref> It has since gone back to using the images and using the name PokéBeach.


On November 12th, 2012, the site's forums revamped its rules and changed its content policy to PG-13 to better cater to older fans. Prior to this, moderation policies went through a strict review and were revamped.
On November 12th, 2012, the site's forums revamped its rules and changed its content policy to PG-13 to better cater to older fans. Prior to this, moderation policies went through a strict review and were revamped.
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On May 11th, 2013, PokéBeach disclosed information from a supposed "insider" about {{g|X and Y}}. A lot of this information was later revealed to be true, such as the new {{t|Fairy}} type, {{p|Pancham}}'s evolution, and more, though some was incorrect.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2013/05/supposed-pokemon-x-and-y-insider-information</ref><ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2013/05/last-of-the-pokemon-x-y-insider-information</ref>
On May 11th, 2013, PokéBeach disclosed information from a supposed "insider" about {{g|X and Y}}. A lot of this information was later revealed to be true, such as the new {{t|Fairy}} type, {{p|Pancham}}'s evolution, and more, though some was incorrect.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2013/05/supposed-pokemon-x-and-y-insider-information</ref><ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2013/05/last-of-the-pokemon-x-y-insider-information</ref>


The website went through a redesign in May 2015, introducing several new features and a complete overhaul of the forums. A premium subscription was announced, where TCG strategy articles and decklist advice are available for a monthly fee. The card scans feature was greatly expanded, including the ability to purchase cards through an affiliate link. Additionally, the site's affiliation with TCG One was announced.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2015/05/welcome-to-the-new-pokebeach</ref>
The website went through a massive redesign in May 2015, introducing a new layout with forum integration, as well as a premium subscription service where players could subscribe to read TCG strategy articles from competitive players.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2015/05/welcome-to-the-new-pokebeach</ref> The site also began a partnership with "TCGplayer," an online TCG store. The partnership allowed PokéBeach to host large online tournaments with free prizes, shipping several booster boxes a month to players around the world.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/2018/04/pokebeachs-may-2018-ptcgo-tournament-sponsored-by-tcgplayer-com</ref>
 
Following the website relaunch, in June 2015, [[The Pokémon Company International]] sued PokéBeach over its short-lived partnership with "TCGOne," an unofficial Pokémon TCG simulator that TPCi claimed was "an unauthorized version of [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online|PTCGO]]". <ref>https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/8377892/Pokemon_Company_Intenational,_Inc_v_Sahagian</ref> The case did not go to trial and PokéBeach quickly removed all references to the simulator from its website as well as all of its Pokémon card scans. As part of the agreement, TPCi granted PokéBeach a license to display its official card images on the website; the website now states at the bottom: "English card images appearing on this website are the property of The Pokémon Company International, Inc."


In April 2017, PokéBeach launched a Discord server to replace their old Skype chat.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/forums/threads/pokebeach-is-now-on-discord.139392/</ref>
In April 2017, PokéBeach launched a Discord server to replace their old Skype chat.<ref>https://www.pokebeach.com/forums/threads/pokebeach-is-now-on-discord.139392/</ref>
===Lawsuit===
In June 2015, Sahagian was sued by [[The Pokémon Company International]] for violation of the {{wp|Digital Millennium Copyright Act}} by "willfully and deliberately infringing TPCi’s intellectual property in connection with the PokéBeach Site and the TCG One game", which PokéBeach was hosting at the time, causing "irreparable harm" to the company.<ref>https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/8377892/Pokemon_Company_Intenational,_Inc_v_Sahagian</ref> The lawsuit alleged that PokéBeach was violating copyright and provided false copyright management information in relation to card scans using watermarks and the existence of TCG One, the latter of which was referred to in the case as "an unauthorized version of [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online|PTCGO]]".<ref>https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.215815.3.0.pdf?no-og=true</ref> Other parts of the lawsuit also referenced [[Pokémon Showdown]] as an "Infringing Game".
On September 8, 2015, the {{wp|United States District Court for the Western District of Washington}} ruled in favor of TPCi against Sahagian, ordering the site to end affiliation with TCG One, provide TPCi with all contact information Sahagian had for "all persons and/or entities involved with the creation, development, marketing, advertising, hosting, or distribution of TCG One", remove all card scans from the website, and destroy all copies of card scans and TCG One-related files, among other injunctions.<ref>https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.215815/gov.uscourts.wawd.215815.16.0.pdf?no-og=true</ref>


==Staff==
==Staff==
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