Konami Digital Entertainment VP Yumi Hoashi told ICv2 that attendance at the YGO Regional Qualifiers in the U.S. is up 27% in 2011 versus 2010.  Hoashi told ICv2 that she attributes the jump in attendance to, "An increase in the number of players, a lot of lapsed players are returning to the game.  We have also put a lot of effort into promoting organized play in general.  We are providing players with more venues that they can play at, and in some areas events are held at less intimidating venues such as Tournament stores, which are a lot more accessible and less intimidating.”

 

Attendance at Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series events in the U.S. was up 17% in 2011 versus 2010.  These gains in attendance at both the Regional Qualifiers and YGO Championship Series come on top of similar boosts in attendance in 2010 versus 2009 that were reported last year (see “Yu-Gi-Oh! OP Attendance Up”).  Konami took control its YGO brand in North America in late 2008 and launched its YGO OP program in 2009 (see “Konami Launches League Play”).