(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)
A myriad of events unfolded in Pokemon Platinum through the years, but the most mysterious of them all gifted an exclusive reward to merely 20 Japanese participants. This prize hinged on a largely unnoticed feature within the game.
YouTube creator Etchy chronicled this peculiar event, which occurred in the game’s Wi-Fi Plaza—an online feature that allowed participation in minigames and the elevation of ‘tap toys’, known for their unique audio-visual effects. Visionaries at Game Freak undoubtedly envisaged greater possibilities for the Wi-Fi Plaza that were scarcely realized, including special recognition for “VIP” players.
Obtaining VIP status conferred several privileges. Notably, when other players engaged with a VIP in the Wi-Fi Plaza, they were greeted by a distinctive golden trainer card instead of the usual blue and red variants. The announcement of a “very special guest has arrived” on the news board also signaled their presence. Additionally, VIPs enjoyed instant entry with a top-tier tap toy, bypassing the arduous grind typically required.
Despite sounding underwhelming, the rarity of VIP status added to its intrigue. Etchy uncovered that in 2008, a special event in Japan, held by the Pokemon Daisuki Club—a renowned Japanese Pokemon fan club—offered this status. Club staff emerged within the Wi-Fi Plaza as VIPs, bestowing players with unique passwords exchangeable on their website for entry into a coveted lottery.
The illustrious prize, as anticipated, was VIP status—awarded to a select group of 20 winners. An ancient Pokemon blog entry mentioned an additional “wonderful gift,” though the details of this bonus prize remain elusive.
According to Etchy’s discovery, no official documentation has since revisited the VIP feature, underscoring its singular nature as a one-time event held from October 27 to 31, 2008, between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Interestingly, all occurrences fell on weekdays, further limiting players’ opportunities to participate.
Nintendo’s archived financial results indicate that as of March 2010, Pokemon Platinum had achieved sales of approximately 7.06 million copies worldwide. Hypothetically, if all purchasers activated the VIP feature, only a meager 0.00028% ever did.
While undeniably exclusive, the fact that it offered such scant benefits remains puzzling. For more details on other top Pokemon games, feel free to explore our comprehensive roundup.