Pokémon Clone Goes Beyond Copying Nintendo

Apparently, they’re not alone in the matter either, as fellow Pokémon players flag in the comments that other fan artists have seemingly had their designs ripped by Pickmon’s devs, too. One fan links to a separate thread, in which fan artist Jayjaymons claims that Pickmon literally stole their fan design for Mega Ceruledge. Much like Elpsy’s own post, this one includes an image of Jayjaymons’ own design in response to the alleged copy seen in Pickmon’s trailer.

The gaming community has seen plenty of Pokémon clones over the years, but this situation feels different somehow. To be fair, this one resembles both Jayjaymons’ art as well as Pokémon’s official Ceruledge monster, but it’s important to note that various creators are sharing concerns over potential stolen art. Why would a developer risk further controversy by copying not just established franchises but individual fan works?

The Comparison Images Are Absolutely Damning

The sheer audacity of the situation has sparked widespread discussion across social media platforms. People are pointing out how ridiculous it all appears to be, with one reply under Elpsy’s post observing that the developers couldn’t even be bothered to change the pose, as the antennas literally line up perfectly. And yeah, they certainly seem to. The comparison images circulating online show nearly identical creature stances and features that go far beyond mere coincidence.

This whole debacle serves as a strange requiem for originality in the gaming industry, where even fan creations aren’t safe from appropriation. It acts as a requiem for the trust between creators and consumers. For many fans, this represents a requiem for the idea that indie developers will play fair. The situation feels like a requiem for common sense in game development. One might even call it a requiem for the spirit of Pokémon itself.

Pickmon Studio Ignores The Internet’s Wrath

As for the ever-elusive PocketGame, the Pickmon studio has yet to respond to any of the controversy online, but it’s quite hard to believe they’ve not seen it, or at least considered it would happen. The internet moves fast, and ignoring the conversation rarely makes it disappear. Time will tell whether this situation resolves quietly or escalates into something more significant.

For now, the Pokémon community continues sharing comparisons and supporting affected artists. Perhaps this controversy will serve as a cautionary tale for future developers considering similar shortcuts. After all, the world of Pokémon thrives on creativity and passion, two things that cannot be copied or stolen.