PokéBeach
| PokéBeach | |
|---|---|
| "Your Ultimate Pokémon Fansite!" | |
 | |
| Language | English |
| Status | Active |
| Run | 2003 - Present |
| Date opened | July 15, 2003 |
| Creator | Jon Sahagian, a.k.a. Water Pokémon Master |
| Forum | PokéBeach.com Forums |
| Mascot | Staryu |
| Website | Main Page |
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.
History
After teaching himself web design and working at other Pokémon websites for several years, Water Pokémon Master opened PokéBeach to the public on July 15, 2003 when he was only 14 years old (although he had been working on the site privately since 1999). In his grand opening post, he promised that he would "never abandon PokéBeach." Since then, the site has become one of the most popular and influential Pokémon fan sites on the internet. Sahagian himself has been labeled as one of the Pokémon community's "Big Name Fans" on websites like TV Tropes due to his contributions to the franchise for over 15 years. As of 2015, the site claims to receive over 100,000 visitors a day, and WPM himself oversees a staff of over 50 staff members from all of the website's different departments. Day to day, WPM personally researches and writes all of the news stories for the front page, of which there are thousands spanning over a decade. Although WPM personally writes all of the news stories himself, he is always "on call" to post breaking or developing news whether it's day, night, or he's on the road, so news coverage always happens at any hour of the day.
Although PokéBeach focuses on all aspects of Pokémon, of which WPM is a fan, it's more often known for its coverage of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The site features the latest Pokémon TCG news and insights, scans of Pokémon cards, card translations for new sets, and guides for how to play the game. Because of how quickly and consistently Sahagian has updated the website since 2003, the website is often considered the keystone of the TCG community, visited daily by TCG fans, collectors, tournament organizers, players, distributors, stores, and even officials working at the company. Before it shut down in 2013, the official Japanese Pokémon TCG Facebook page even listed PokéBeach as one of their only "likes," one of the few times, if ever, that the official company has acknowledged or linked to a fan website.
In 2008, Water Pokémon Master sought out Masamitsu Hidaka, the original director and storyboard artist for the Pokémon anime, and held a historical interview with him. In the interview, Hidaka revealed much previously unknown information about the anime, including the writer's decisions behind certain plot points, the nature of the series, and what goes on behind the scenes. For example, the interview revealed why Brock was replaced in the Orange Islands, the nature of the GS Ball, if Misty would ever return to the series, Ho-Oh's relation to Ash, the show's cyclical nature, and much more. Hidaka also personally invited WPM back for a second interview where he revealed even more information about the anime. Both interviews are the closest any fan has gotten to someone who works on the raw anime and their revelations are still discussed by fans to this day.
In 2009, while attending film school in Japan, Water Pokémon Master was able to go to the early screening of Arceus and the Jewel of Life in Tokyo even though he was not picked for the special rally from CoroCoro magazine. He is the only known foreigner to have seen an early screening of a Pokemon movie in Japan.
Upon the release of Pokémon Black and White 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 Ditto and changed their name to PokerBeach as a joke to protest Nintendo's actions. 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 May 11th, 2013, PokéBeach disclosed information from a supposed "insider" about Pokémon X and Y, although they were unsure if the information was real. Over the coming year, most of the information slowly revealed itself to be true, such as the new Fairy type, Mewtwo having two "formes," Pancham's evolution, the unusual method for evolving Inkay, and more.
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.
In April 2017, PokéBeach launched a Discord server to replace their old Skype chat.
Lawsuit
In June 2015, Sahagian was sued by The Pokémon Company International for violation of the 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. 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 PTCGO". Other parts of the lawsuit also referenced Pokémon Showdown as an "Infringing Game".
On September 8, 2015, the 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.
Staff
- Water Pokémon Master - Administrator/Social Media
- peer - Programmer
- Shining Raikou - Social Media
Forums
- Administrator - Shining Raikou
Super Moderators
- Asclepius24 – Pokemon TCG Head
- Athena – Beach Life Head
- Brave Vesperia – Marketplace Head
- Equinox – Pokemon VG Head
- Ice Arceus – Creative Works Head
Moderators
- bbninjas
- Bolt the Cat
- bonus41
- Camoclone
- Celever
- homeofmew
- Jabberwock
- Kecleon-X
- Luispipe8
- Machamp the Champion
- Materious17
- Mora
- MtheW
- Robin Aisaga
- SaiScott95
- scattered mind
- SilverSilent
- Siren
- steffenka
- Tails
- Yakkov
News
- Water Pokémon Master - News Head
- Athena
- bbocwerdna
- Celever
- Machamp the Champion
- My Little Keldeo
- Rusty Sticks
- steffenka
Articles
- Water Pokémon Master - Articles Head
- Brandon Nguyen
- Camoclone
- DogStar
- Grimsashi
- Machamp the Champion
- Phototoxin
- SaliosGnome
Activities
- Shining Raikou - General Activity Head
General Activity Organizers
- Athena
- bbninjas
- Celever
- Ice Arceus
- Luispipe8
- Machamp the Champion
- Materious17
- SilverSilent
Video Game Organizers
- Bolt the Cat
- Brave Vesperia
- Camoclone
- Celever
- Equinox
- homeofmew
- Mora
- Yakkov
Video Game Tutors
- Equinox - Video Game Tutor Head
- iSharingan
- Keeper of Night
- PG24
- Yakkov
Chat Room
- Shining Raikou - Chat Room Head
Moderators
- Brave Vesperia
- Celever
- Equinox
- Machamp The Champion
- One Approved
- peer
- PikaMasterJesi
- SilverSilent
Badges
- Shining Raikou - Badges Head
- Brave Vesperia
- homeofmew
- Machamp the Champion
- PG24
External links
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