Pokémon TCG Pocket: Players' Mixed Feelings on Time Space Showdown Art

The latest expansion for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, Space Time Smackdown, released on January 30, has stirred significant controversy among fans due to the artwork on one particular card. The card in question is the Weavile ex 2 Star full art card, which depicts a group of Weavile lurking in the treetops, their claws poised to attack an unsuspecting Swinub below. This graphic depiction has caused a wave of shock and heartbreak across the Pokémon community.

On Reddit, a post titled "NO! SWINUB LOOK UP!! LOOK UP!!" by user RegularTemporary2707 has garnered nearly 10,000 upvotes, showcasing the controversial artwork. Fans have expressed their dismay in the comments, with one stating, "Always got to be one card per set that shows Pokémon in the process of straight up killing each other." Another user pleaded, "Leave the lil guy alone." The vivid imagery has led to discussions about the often brutal nature of Pokémon ecology, with one fan noting, "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."

Amid the uproar, some fans are finding solace in the full art card of Mamoswine, Swinub's final evolution. The card shows Mamoswine looking upward, seemingly protecting a group of Swinub from danger. This has sparked hopeful comments such as, "Hey, Mamoswine protected his baby. Don't worry. He most definitely saw those Weaviles," and another adding, "The Mamoswine alt card already looks above. He saw them. He saw..."

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

Creatures Inc., the developer, has not yet addressed the controversy surrounding the Weavile ex card. Their social media accounts and the game itself have focused solely on promoting the new set, and they did not respond to IGN's request for comment. The only acknowledgment of the update was a "Trade Feature Celebration Gift" that included 500 Trade Tokens and 120 Trade Hourglasses, sufficient for one ex Pokémon trade, but the developer has remained silent on the fan complaints regarding the card artwork.