The Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCGO) Space Time Smackdown expansion, released January 30th, features a Weavile ex card depicting a scene that has sparked significant player outrage. Specifically, the 2-Star full art card shows a group of Weavile poised to attack an unsuspecting Swinub.
This depiction of potential predation has generated considerable online discussion, with Reddit threads overflowing with comments expressing concern and distress. Many players highlight the graphic nature of the scene, contrasting it with the typically more lighthearted portrayal of Pokémon interactions. One Reddit post, garnering nearly 10,000 upvotes, simply exclaims, "NO ! SWINUB LOOK UP !! LOOK UP !!".
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However, some fans offer a more optimistic interpretation, pointing to the Mamoswine full art card, Swinub's evolution, which shows Mamoswine seemingly protectively looking upward, suggesting it may have witnessed and intervened in the Weavile's attack.
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The Space Time Smackdown expansion, themed around Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, includes 207 cards, featuring Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and others. While smaller than the Genetic Apex set (286 cards), it boasts a higher percentage of rare cards (52 alternate art, Star and Crown rarity cards compared to Genetic Apex's 60).
Despite the controversy, Creatures Inc. has yet to publicly address the negative reaction to the Weavile card artwork or the preceding trading update. While a "Trade Feature Celebration Gift" was provided, including 500 Trade Tokens and 120 Trade Hourglasses, the company has remained silent on player concerns and has not responded to requests for comment.