Pokémon TCG Pocket Publisher Responds To Allegations Of Ho-Oh Art Plagiarism
The Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket (Pokémon TCG Pocket) has encountered an unexpected hurdle just ahead of its full release, as The Pokémon Company International (TPCI) issued an apology and announced the temporary replacement of two rare cards due to a significant art blunder. The blunder, according to TPCI, stemmed from the use of incorrect reference materials, leading to claims of plaigiarism from the original, uncredited fan artist.
We'd like to share an update about the upcoming expansion in #PokemonTCGPocket. pic.twitter.com/W2GdG8Wv5n
— Pokémon TCG Pocket (@PokemonTCGP) July 30, 2025
In response to the outcry, the official Pokémon TCG Pocket Twitter account released a statement today admitting to a "production issue." TPCI clarified that its card production team was at fault, having "provided incorrect reference materials as official documents to the illustrator commissioned to create these cards." This admission points to a breakdown in internal quality control processes, leading to the unfortunate mix-up.
？。？？？？？？ https://t.co/RpaBHRfW1h pic.twitter.com/e5ggVtnD7Q
— 昼时歌 (@lanjiujiu) July 29, 2025
As a direct consequence of this error, both the Ho-Oh EX (3-Star) and Lugia EX (3-Star) cards have been temporarily pulled from the game and replaced with placeholder text. TPCI has assured players that new, original artwork for both cards is already in the works and will be implemented as soon as possible. Without directly referencing the uncredited artist, the company also extended an apology to the "talented illustrator(s)" as well as the global Pokémon fanbase for any inconvenience or confusion caused. TPCI has further pledged to conduct a deeper internal investigation into the matter.
In response, lanjiujiu has publicly expressed appreciation for the prompt and transparent resolution from TCPI.
The Wisdom of the Sea and Sky is the fourth Pokémon TCG Pocket full expansion set and is focused around the Pokémon of the Johto region. It will feature eight new cards, including the aforementioned Ho-Oh EX.
Photo credit: TPCI and lanjiujiu
