13 Ago Pokémon TCG Pocket: Top Two Cards from New Expansion Removed Due to Plagiarism
The launch of the new expansion came with an unpleasant surprise for the developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket. One of the artists—specifically, the one responsible for illustrating Ho-Oh and Lugia—has been caught plagiarizing artwork from a fan creation.
Pokémon TCG Pocket confirmed the news on its official channels, stating that temporary illustrations will be used in place of the originals while new immersive artwork is being created. For now, the affected cards simply display a banner reading “New art coming soon.”
Immersive cards are among the most visually stunning features in Pokémon TCG Pocket. When drawn, they trigger a short video that pulls you into the artwork, allowing you to see the Pokémon in motion—an impressive and unique visual experience. However, in the new expansion titled Marine and Sky Saber, these immersive cards are currently unavailable.
The artist allegedly copied the design of Ho-Oh from a 2021 fanart by an artist known as Ianjiujiu. The pose, wing shape, feather details, and overall composition bear a strong resemblance. This similarity was also noticed by the development team, who acted swiftly and decisively.
The cards remain in the game but with their artwork removed, leaving only the “new art coming soon” message to inform players that the issue is being addressed. The swift response from The Pokémon Company has been widely praised, and the incident is expected to be just a minor bump in an otherwise successful expansion launch.
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