Pokémon TCG Pocket Players Love and Hate Heartbreaking Time Space Showdown Art

The Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCGO) Space Time Smackdown expansion, released January 30th, features a Weavile ex card with artwork depicting a brutal scene that has sparked outrage among players. Specifically, the 2-Star full-art card shows a group of Weavile poised to attack an unsuspecting Swinub. Reddit posts highlighting the image have garnered significant attention, with many expressing concern and sadness for the Swinub's apparent fate. Comments range from pleas for the Swinub's safety ("NO ! SWINUB LOOK UP !! LOOK UP !!") to observations on the often-violent nature of Pokémon ecology ("Always got to be one card per set that shows Pokémon in the process of straight up killing each other").

Some fans offer a glimmer of hope, pointing to the Mamoswine full-art card, Swinub's evolution, which depicts Mamoswine protectively looking upward, seemingly aware of the Weavile's presence. This interpretation offers a potentially happy ending, suggesting Mamoswine intervened to save the Swinub.

Space Time Smackdown, a Pokémon Diamond and Pearl themed set, includes 207 cards—fewer than Genetic Apex's 286, but with a higher percentage (52 out of 207) of alternate art, Star, and Crown rarity cards compared to Genetic Apex's 60 out of 286. The set features popular Pokémon like Weavile, Mamoswine, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina.

Despite the controversy surrounding a recent trading update and the unsettling Weavile card artwork, Creatures Inc. has yet to issue a statement. While a "Trade Feature Celebration Gift" including 500 Trade Tokens and 120 Trade Hourglasses was provided, the developer remains silent on player concerns, ignoring both social media feedback and IGN's request for comment.