Summary
All upcomingYu-Gi-Oh!World Championship matches will ban unofficialplaymatsandcard sleeves. The only ones that aren’t Yu-Gi-Oh! branded that will be permitted are those that are a “plain, solid colour”, featuring no other designs.
This ban is being rolled out for multiple reasons, one of them being an attempt to stop players from using lewd playmats in-game. Organisers say they are aiming to make the event appropriate for “attendees of all ages”, and cut down on the time it takes staff to assess whether accessories are safe to use during a tournament.
The new rules are outlined in ablog post. Here, players are told that they must use playmats and card sleeves that are a “plain, solid colour” or “officially licensed”. They must also use the sleeves and mats they are provided with at matches, should organisers already have some on hand for them.
Why Are Custom Playmats And Sleeves Banned From Yu-Gi-Oh! Tournaments?
The most obvious reason for the ban is that it stops anyone from turning up with an NSFW playmat, particularly whenKonamiwants these events to be appropriate for all ages. However, anything that isn’t official or completely plain would also need to be checked over by judges to make sure its tournament legal, potentially holding up the game.
In the announcement, it’s stated that these new rules will help the team provide “an improved tournament experience for Duelists”, although it remains to be seen if there is any pushback to the rules. Of course, players have been able to bring their own accessories for years, so they might not take kindly to swapping them out for something more dull and generic.
The post also explains that judges have “frequently” had to question players over whether their accessories are “appropriate for the attendees” - that’s a lot of fans turning up with lewd playmats.
The rules are effective immediately, so they will be in place for the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2024 Qualifiers in Europe and Oceania. These kick off in late June, coming to Oceania first, so players still have time to change their accessories.
However, given that the rule change compels players to accept whatever accessories they’re given, it sounds like replacements will be on hand. Players will get accessories just for participating too, so there are options if a player’s mat or sleeves are deemed to be in breach of the rules.
