The Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket has introduced updated artwork for its Generation 2 legendary Pokémon cards following a plagiarism dispute. The original designs for Ho-Oh EX and Lugia EX were removed after similarities were noted with an independent artist's work. Players can now download a 37MB update that replaces the controversial artwork across all existing cards.

This change comes as part of the Wisdom of the Sea and Sky expansion, which launched on July 30 with 241 new cards. The update follows weeks of community discussion after artist lanjiujiu highlighted striking resemblances between the Ho-Oh EX card and their 2021 artwork. During the interim period, pulled Ho-Oh EX cards displayed placeholder art with a salmon pink background and "New Art Coming Soon" text.

The development team issued an official apology through the game's news feed, explaining that the original illustrator had been provided with incorrect reference materials. They confirmed an ongoing investigation to ensure no other cards contain similar issues.

Despite the controversy, the July update has been well-received for its quality-of-life improvements, including bulk purchases of Pack Hourglasses and clearer card inventory displays on the Pack Points Exchange screen.

The mobile game, developed by DeNA and Creatures Inc., continues to expand its digital card collection since its October 2024 launch, with new content updates arriving monthly. Players can access the game through official app stores or the Pokemon Company's dedicated portal.