Fresh off a first-place win at the North America International Championships, McLean resident Wolfe Glick is headed to the 2019 Pokémon World Championships in D.C. next month.
Glick took the first place in the video game division in a national championship tournament in June, winning part of a $250,000 pot in scholarships and prizes.
According to a press release from The Pokémon Company International, the tournament will be invite-only with attendees from over 35 countries vying for a series of prizes August 16-18 in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place NW).
Glick says Pokémon is still a fun hobby rather than a job or sport, and he plays mostly to keep in touch with friends.
“I started playingPokémon competitively back in 2011 when there was a local tournament in the Washington D.C. area,” Glick said in an email. “I’ve kept competing all these years primarily because if I were to stop I would have a harder time seeing the friends I’ve made over the years through the game.”
There were a few tense moments for Glick at the most recent match. He noted that there were a few close calls, but he managed to pull through.
“I’m very excited for the World Championships and hope to do well,” Glick said.
Photo via The Pokémon Company
Joining the latest and greatest at Ballston Quarter, 5 Wits officially opened for business earlier last month, bringing its unique style of interactive entertainment to the Arlington area.
Located in a 15,000 square foot facility within the mall, 5 Wits creates deeply immersive, theme park-style adventure experiences. Guests travel through real, physical environments, interacting with their surroundings through challenges, puzzles and elaborate special effects.
Each adventure tells its own story, with its guests’ performance deciding the outcome: the ending actually changes depending on how well its participants perform.
While the technology that runs this massive $2 million venue is cutting edge, the company behind it isn’t exactly new — in fact, 5 Wits is celebrating its 15th year in business. Its arrival in Ballston Quarter signals a shift toward entertainment-based offerings that set the redeveloped center apart as a destination.
“5 Wits is excited to bring our adventures to the Arlington area in such a unique and dynamic project. Ballston Quarter is curating an experience that the community is going to love,” says Frank Cerio, the company’s COO.
As Nothern Virginia’s newest dining, shopping and entertainment destination, the revitalized Ballston Quarter’s focus on experiential entertainment retailers continues well beyond 5 Wits. Offerings like play space Nook, entertainment complex Punch Social Bowl and Onelife Fitness compliment new expansive gathering spaces and fresh retail and culinary brands.
Community members and visitors are invited to experience the new heart of Ballston with continued openings, spring and summer holiday celebrations and seasonal programming that make Ballston Quarter a year-round community experience.