Pokemon VGC Player Disqualified
Drama
07 May 2025 11:25
Competitive Pokémon player Lorenzo Arce was disqualified during the sixth round of the Pokémon Video Game Championships (VGC) at the Milwaukee Regional this past weekend, following allegations of cheating during a livestreamed match.
Tournament officials claimed that Arce was “receiving signals from someone in the crowd” while he competed on stage. Footage from the match shows Arce nodding toward the audience, which judges cited as evidence of suspicious behavior. As a result, Arce was immediately removed from the competition, ending his run with an impressive 5-0 record up to that point.
The disqualification came without warning or opportunity for appeal, prompting frustration from both Arce and parts of the Pokémon community. The player took to social media afterward, posting on X: “I have no words.”
While Arce’s nodding was visible during the livestream, many fans and commentators remain skeptical that it constitutes definitive proof of cheating. Critics of the ruling argue that for someone in the crowd to feed Arce actionable information, they would also have needed to see the opposing player, Tang Tang Shiliang’s, Nintendo Switch screen — a scenario some believe is highly unlikely given the event's setup.
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Drama
07 May 2025 11:25
Competitive Pokémon player Lorenzo Arce was disqualified during the sixth round of the Pokémon Video Game Championships (VGC) at the Milwaukee Regional this past weekend, following allegations of cheating during a livestreamed match.
Tournament officials claimed that Arce was “receiving signals from someone in the crowd” while he competed on stage. Footage from the match shows Arce nodding toward the audience, which judges cited as evidence of suspicious behavior. As a result, Arce was immediately removed from the competition, ending his run with an impressive 5-0 record up to that point.
The disqualification came without warning or opportunity for appeal, prompting frustration from both Arce and parts of the Pokémon community. The player took to social media afterward, posting on X: “I have no words.”
While Arce’s nodding was visible during the livestream, many fans and commentators remain skeptical that it constitutes definitive proof of cheating. Critics of the ruling argue that for someone in the crowd to feed Arce actionable information, they would also have needed to see the opposing player, Tang Tang Shiliang’s, Nintendo Switch screen — a scenario some believe is highly unlikely given the event's setup.
Related news
View AllImages of a Popplio Pokémon card allegedly bearing the signature of Pope Leo have gone viral online, sparking both disbelief...
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Jul 07, 2025
The Pokémon Company has secured a $15 million victory in a lawsuit against several Chinese companies over the game Pocket...
Drama
Sep 18, 2024
Tencent has agreed to halt all promotional activities and public testing for its upcoming action game Light of Motiram as...
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Dec 04, 2025
Jonas Gundersen, CEO of Danish esports organization Astralis, has confirmed a delay in the payment of December salaries, affecting both...
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Dec 02, 2025
ULF Esports has issued an official response to recent allegations regarding delayed salary payments to players in its League of...
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Dec 02, 2025