The Pokémon TCG Pocket team has issued an apology to its community following the discovery that key artwork in its upcoming expansion, Wisdom of Sea and Sky, was unintentionally based on a fan's illustration. This revelation surfaced when a Pokémon fan artist pointed out the similarities between their original depiction of the Legendary bird Ho-Oh and a datamined card illustration from the game. The developers stated that “incorrect reference materials” had been provided to the illustrator, leading to the artwork issue. As a response, the team will replace these cards with placeholders while they create new, unique art to prevent similar problems in the future. They expressed their commitment to enhancing their quality control processes and thanked the community for their understanding as they address the situation.

What caused the artwork controversy in Pokémon TCG Pocket?

The controversy stemmed from the use of fan artwork as a reference for a card's design in the game's upcoming expansion, leading to accusations of copying. The developers clarified that this was due to mistakenly providing incorrect reference materials to the illustrator.

Pokémon TCG Pocket is a mobile trading card game focusing on collectible cards featuring popular Pokémon. The franchise has had a long-standing tradition of engaging fans with card-based gameplay, allowing players to build their decks and battle against others. The Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion promises to bring new cards and gameplay experiences while the developers ensure that such artistic discrepancies are avoided in the future.