Pokémon China Taps Wang Yibo as Spokesperson, Fans Accuse Nintendo of 'Sabotage'

Pokémon's China operation recently made a major move by tapping pop star Wang Yibo as a brand spokesperson. The announcement triggered an immediate explosion of discussion within the local community.

Player sentiment is sharply divided. While some casual observers questioned the actual effectiveness of the campaign, others mocked it as the 'Trendiest Card Game'—a sarcastic jab. Many hardcore players bluntly stated that anyone familiar with the actual target audience of this card game would immediately see the mismatch in this partnership.

The controversy escalated quickly, with many accusing Nintendo's domestic operations team of being a 'saboteur' (nei gui, a term implying they are working against the interests of the core fans). Fans recalled a past campaign featuring Xiao Zhan, arguing that this 'celebrity-first' strategy completely ignores the core player base. Some netizens joked that since Nintendo partners with Tencent, perhaps they chose a celebrity under the Tencent umbrella simply because it was 'on sale'.

Facing fears of the community being overrun by celebrity 'fan-girl culture' (fanquan), the comment section is filled with mockery of the star's appearance and deep anxiety that the domestic Pokémon community will be ruined by this shift.