Pokémon TCG Pocket: Fans Divided Over Heartbreaking Time Space Showdown Art

The Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket introduced its Space Time Smackdown expansion on January 30, and it's sparked a wave of shock and heartbreak among players due to the artwork on one particular card. The card at the center of this controversy is the Weavile ex, specifically its 2 Star full art version, which depicts a scene that has fans deeply concerned. In the artwork, a group of Weavile are lurking in the treetops, their claws poised and ready to attack an unsuspecting Swinub below.

"No Swinub, look up! Look up!" exclaimed a Reddit post showcasing the card, which has garnered nearly 10,000 upvotes. The community's reaction was swift and emotional, with one user lamenting, "Always got to be one card per set that shows Pokémon in the process of straight up killing each other." Another pleaded, "Leave the lil guy alone."

NO ! SWINUB LOOK UP !! LOOK UP !!
by u/RegularTemporary2707 in PTCGP

"The ecology of Pokémon is always so crazy to imagine," another fan remarked. "Like these are still animals, some smarter than others. Just they have the ability to fire laser beams."

Amidst the distress, some fans are finding solace in the full art card of Mamoswine, Swinub's final evolution. The card portrays Mamoswine looking up while safeguarding a group of Swinub, suggesting a hopeful resolution. "Hey, Mamoswine protected his baby. Don't worry. He most definitely saw those Weaviles," one optimistic fan stated. Another added, "The Mamoswine alt card already looks above. He saw them. He saw..."

Gone, but not forgotten.
by u/AshesMemeFolder in PTCGP

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

Creatures Inc. has yet to address the controversy surrounding the trading update that was released the day before the expansion. The company's social media and the game itself have primarily focused on promoting Space Time Smackdown. They also did not respond to IGN's request for comment. Despite this, a "Trade Feature Celebration Gift" was distributed, offering players 500 Trade Tokens and 120 Trade Hourglasses—enough tokens to trade a single ex Pokémon—yet the developer has remained silent on fan feedback.