Hit smartphone crippled Pokémon TCG Pocket has contiguous unveiled its replacement Ho-Oh and Lugia artwork, aft antecedently apologising for a "production issue" that saw the crippled adhd cards based connected a instrumentality design.
The updated paper creation for Ho-Oh and Lugia's immersive variants tin present beryllium seen wrong Pokémon TCG Pocket, replacing the impermanent artwork the crippled hurriedly switched to past week arsenic instrumentality complaints boiled over, and the game's developer was forced to subsequently entreaty for calm.
Intriguingly, the caller Ho-Oh and Lugia artwork is erstwhile again credited to creator Sie Nanahara, who besides created the previous, now-removed designs.
In an earlier statement, Pokémon TCG Pocket's improvement squad spoke retired aft fans began hounding Nanahara implicit the incident, and said players should not beryllium "attacking oregon slandering" the artist. Explaining the concern further, the developer said Nanahara had simply created artwork based connected designs provided (and incorrectly approved) by the workplace itself. Today's caller acceptable of designs from Nanahara signals a further enactment of support.
"As galore players are aware, the immersive Ho-Oh ex (3-Star) and Lugia ex (3-Star) cards from the Wisdom of Sea and Sky enlargement presently diagnostic placeholder illustrations," the game's developer said successful a connection posted to societal media this morning.
"As an update, players tin look guardant to caller illustrations for these cards being releaed in-game wrong the coming hours. Thank you to our assemblage for your continued patience and support."
Last month, fans spotted that Pokémon TCG Pocket's archetypal Ho-Oh ex paper looked to person been traced from a plan created backmost successful 2021 by instrumentality creator lanjiujiu. The creator adjacent posted examination images, showing their instauration lined up with the artwork from Pokémon TCG Pocket's caller Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion, which featured Ho-Oh successful precisely the aforesaid pose.
A 2nd card, featuring Ho-Oh's companion legendary Pokémon Lugia, was besides impacted — arsenic its immersive plan includes the aforesaid artwork of Ho-Oh successful the background.
The occurrence has raised wider questions implicit The Pokémon Company's ineligible close to usage fanart wrong authoritative products — though the swift absorption present suggests that the corp feels this is thing it wants to avoid.
Earlier this week, fans suggested different Pokémon TCG Pocket paper plan featuring Ultra Beast Buzzwole besides looks akin to unofficial artwork, though others aren't arsenic convinced this lawsuit amounts to plagiarism.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social