Fans have suggested Pokémon TCG Pocket includes another card design resembling unofficial artwork, just days after the game removed illustrations from several cards in its new expansion.
Last week, The Pokémon Company admitted it used fan art as a close reference for the Ho-Oh EX card in Pokémon TCG Pocket’s new Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion. The issue emerged after fans noticed the card’s design appeared to be traced from unofficial artwork published online.
Now, fans have identified another card potentially inspired by fan art: Buzzwole EX’s Immersive Rare card, which depicts the insectoid Ultra Beast floating through space with one arm raised in a Superman-like pose.
While not an exact replica, fans note the concept, composition, and posture closely mirror a piece of fan art posted in 2017. Others argue that Buzzwole raising its arm to flex its muscular frame is a common trait seen in the character’s official depictions.
“I was browsing my old camera roll and thought I spotted the Immersive Buzzwole—then realized it was fan art I’d saved back in 2017,” wrote Ricky_chimmerton on Reddit. “It’s not a direct copy, but this image was definitely used as a reference for the card.”
“Same pose, but not the same. It might’ve been inspiration, but it wasn’t traced,” countered Aestrasz. “The problem isn’t taking cues from fan art—it’s tracing it.”
“'Similar' is an understatement, but at least here it’s clear it wasn’t a full copy,” wrote Plane_pea5434.
Found very old Buzzwole fanart from 2017 that looks very similar to the immersive
byu/Ricky_chimmerton inPokemonTGCP
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }Last week, The Pokémon Company announced it would audit all Pokémon TCG Pocket cards to ensure no other cards were based on fan artwork. By drawing attention to the Buzzwole design, fans hope the company will act quickly—either replacing the artwork or crediting the original artist.
"After internal review, we discovered that the card production team submitted incorrect materials as official references to the illustrator," The Pokémon Company stated. "As a result, both cards have been replaced with temporary placeholders while the team works on new artwork."
Currently, the Immersive Ho-Oh EX card and its companion Lugia EX card (which incorporates the Ho-Oh design in its animation) display no artwork, replaced by awkward "New Art Coming Soon" text. It remains to be seen whether Buzzwole EX will receive the same treatment—or if The Pokémon Company believes its design is sufficiently distinct.
Subsequently, The Pokémon Company emphasized that internal processes were to blame, not the credited illustrator, who merely followed the reference materials provided.
"It has come to our attention that criticism directed at the cards’ illustrator is circulating online," the company stated. "The illustration errors were caused by The Pokémon Company and Creatures Inc. production teams, who provided incorrect materials as official references to the illustrator, and we accept full responsibility."
