Firestar73 demands Pokemon rule changes and reveals more judge issues after Orlando Game Loss

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A Pokémon Go player, Firestar73, has shared a detailed explanation of why he was disqualified from the Orlando Regional Championships. He’s using the situation to advocate for significant changes to the official rules of the Play Pokémon system, after losing his championship title.

The Pokemon Orlando Regional Championships in early April caused controversy when Firestar73 initially won, but was then penalized with a game loss. Tournament officials determined that Firestar73 had disrupted the game by shaking the table, according to Play Pokemon.

In a statement on April 21st, Play Pokemon supported the decision, explaining that Firestar73 had previously been warned during the tournament reset for disruptive behavior – specifically, hitting and shaking the table – before the incident in Game 5.

Firestar73 has now shared his complete account of what happened, stating he wasn’t explicitly informed that the penalty in Game 5 was due to the second table wobble.

Thank you for all your support. I’ve now put together a full account of my experience at the tournament, along with suggestions for rule changes and a review of how judging is currently handled.

— Firestar73 (@Firestar73_) April 28, 2026

Firestar73 calls for Pokemon rule changes after Orlando DQ

Firestar73 posted on X, expressing gratitude for the support he’s received. He explained that he took the time to gather his thoughts and prepare before sharing his complete story of what happened at the tournament.

He explained in the document that the first accidental table taps happened during the first game of the second set. A bug in Pokemon Go, called DRE (damage registration error), had disrupted his strategy. Firestar73 admitted he tapped the table twice out of frustration, but insisted it didn’t change the outcome of the game, and his opponent deserved the win.

It really bothered me to hear that the judges wouldn’t give him a break between the two Grand Finals sets. He said it made him extra nervous going into the last part of the tournament, and honestly, that seems totally unfair. A quick breather should be no problem, especially at that level of competition!

Firestar73 explained that the table shake during Game 5 happened when he excitedly pumped his fist right before the win was confirmed, and wasn’t meant to disrupt his opponent or the game. He stated it briefly caused a visual glitch on the broadcast, but didn’t change the gameplay or outcome.

I was never informed that the second table wobble caused the penalty in Game 5. No one ever suggested my actions impacted the game’s outcome either.

Here’s what happened with @Firestar73_ leading to a warning and game loss. According to Pokémon officials, he first hit the table, causing it to shake and potentially disrupt the match. He then continued to behave disruptively, impacting the broadcast.

— Jogada Excelente (@jogadaexcelente) April 21, 2026

Firestar73 stated he was kept waiting backstage for over an hour with no explanation about the decision, why it was made, or how to appeal it. He eventually signed a document acknowledging a loss, but says he wasn’t informed that this would confirm or accept the ruling.

The player is requesting a change to the Pokemon Go Tournament Handbook, specifically Rule 7.1. They believe a game shouldn’t be forfeited due to accidental actions that don’t impact the game or its outcome.

He suggests that a team shouldn’t automatically lose a game due to accidental actions that don’t impact how the game is played or its outcome. Similarly, a minor penalty shouldn’t become a game loss if the accidental action causing it doesn’t affect the game or the final result.

Firestar73 pointed out that there’s a significant power imbalance in the final rounds of tournaments when the head judge is also directly officiating a match. Players might feel like they have nowhere to turn if they disagree with a call. He suggested either having table judges continue through the final sets, or adding an additional judge specifically to handle appeals when the head judge is involved in the initial decision.

This post follows reader feedback on Play Pokemon’s statement. Many readers disagree with the claim that Firestar73 was first warned about shaking the table, and they’ve highlighted sections of the Pokemon rules concerning serious violations and the process for appealing decisions.

Currently, Play Pokemon is standing by the outcome of the Orlando tournament, confirming that NiteTimeClasher is officially the event winner.

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2026-04-29 00:20