Pokemon TCG Pocket’s incredibly difficult new event is prompting bad sportsmanship among players, as running out the clock is becoming more commonplace.
The Genetic Apex SP Emblem Event 1 involves winning consecutive battles to earn Emblems that can be displayed on your profile. The greatest of these is the Gold Emblem, which requires a five-win streak to obtain.
Getting the gold can be incredibly difficult, and losing on a three or four streak is disheartening. Unfortunately, users on the PTCGP Reddit have reported that more players are running out the clock out of spite, rather than conceding when in a losing state.
Pokemon TCG Pocket players keep waiting out the clock
“During this event happened to me many time…and i never conceded,” one user wrote, while another said, 100%, have seen this a bunch where the opponent has lost but just drags it out. I just swap to reddit and wait out the clock lol.”
Another PTCGP Reddit thread also called out this behavior, with players asking for stricter time rules during the opponent’s turn.
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“I won my first 5 matches in the event and every single one of them attempted to run out the clock,” one user said, “Making the challenge a win streak event incentives this and I find it annoying.”
What makes this kind of conduct more frustrating is that it’s easier to just jump back in and start anew with another run. There are meta Pokemon Pocket decks that have an easier time getting the five wins, so it makes more sense to use them instead of acting childish.
Timekeeping is an issue in all online card games, with MTG Arena seeing players trying to run out the clock just to annoy the opponent or hope they need to leave early and concede for themselves.
Hopefully, a future update for Pokemon Pocket will shorten the time allowed during a turn, especially as the game isn’t exactly super complicated. Failing that, there should be a system in place to report players for time wasting.
