Pokémon TCG Pocket: Heartbreaking Art Sparks Love and Hate Among Players

The Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket's latest expansion, Space Time Smackdown, released on January 30, has sparked intense reactions among fans due to the artwork on one specific card. The card causing the uproar is the Weavile ex 2 Star full art, which depicts a chilling scene of predation. In the illustration, a group of Weavile are poised in the treetops, their claws ready to strike at an unsuspecting Swinub below. This predatory image has stirred a mix of shock and heartbreak among the community.

A Reddit post titled "NO! SWINUB LOOK UP!! LOOK UP!!" showcasing the artwork, has garnered nearly 10,000 upvotes, highlighting the fans' strong reaction. Comments like "Always got to be one card per set that shows Pokémon in the process of straight up killing each other" and "Leave the lil guy alone" reflect the community's dismay and empathy towards the depicted Swinub. Another user remarked on the often overlooked aspect of Pokémon ecology, stating, "The ecology of Pokémon is always so crazy to imagine. Like these are still animals, some smarter than others. Just they have the ability to fire laser beams."

Amidst the controversy, some fans are finding solace in the full art card of Mamoswine, Swinub's final evolution. This card portrays Mamoswine looking upward while safeguarding a group of Swinub, suggesting a protective stance against the lurking Weavile. Comments like "Hey, Mamoswine protected his baby. Don't worry. He most definitely saw those Weaviles" and "The Mamoswine alt card already looks above. He saw them. He saw..." offer a hopeful interpretation of the storyline, providing fans with a sense of resolution.

Space Time Smackdown is themed around Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and introduces cards featuring Weavile, Mamoswine, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and more. With a total of 207 cards, it is smaller than the previous set, Genetic Apex, which had 286 cards. However, Space Time Smackdown boasts a higher percentage of rare cards, with 52 alternate art, Star and Crown rarity cards compared to Genetic Apex's 60.

Despite the fan outcry over the Weavile ex artwork, Creatures Inc. has yet to comment on the matter. The focus has remained on promoting Space Time Smackdown across their social media and within the game itself. They also did not respond to IGN's request for a statement. Meanwhile, a "Trade Feature Celebration Gift" was distributed to players, including 500 Trade Tokens and 120 Trade Hourglasses, sufficient to trade a single ex Pokémon, but the developer has otherwise stayed silent on the community's feedback.