Play Pokemon breaks silence on Firestar73 ruling and refuses to reverse Orlando decision

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The Pokemon Company has responded to the uproar surrounding the Orlando Regional Championships, stating they will not overturn the disqualification of Firestar73, who lost his Pokemon Go championship title due to a celebratory post after the match.

The company announced on April 21st that after reviewing the situation, judges confirmed the original decision made at the time.

Earlier this month, the Orlando finals caused a lot of controversy when Firestar73 initially won, but was then penalized with a Game Loss. Many fans thought the penalty, which stemmed from what they considered an overly enthusiastic celebration, was unfair.

After a tough climb through the loser’s bracket, @Firestar73_ secured a thrilling victory in game 5 to win the Orlando Regional Championship. However, reports suggest their celebration was considered inappropriate, leading to a penalty – a game loss – and ultimately giving the win to NTC. I’m really disappointed for Firestar and feel for them.

— AXN (@ItsAXN) April 5, 2026

Firestar73 released a statement claiming the decision was an honest error and requested The Pokémon Company reconsider it. Play Pokémon has since explained that the issue was more complex than what was shown during the live broadcast.

Play Pokemon says earlier warning led to final penalty

Play Pokemon stated that Firestar73 received a warning earlier in the tournament, during the first game, for physically disrupting the match by hitting and shaking the table.

Honestly, it was pretty wild watching everything unfold. The company said this player’s behavior was really bothering everyone – the other players and the officials. And apparently, it happened again in game five! They said this player slammed the table so hard it even messed up the broadcast, and that’s when the judges had to step in and give them a game loss. It was a pretty serious escalation, and definitely a shock to see.

Statement Regarding Orlando Pokémon Regional Championships

— Play! Pokémon (@playpokemon) April 21, 2026

The company confirmed it will respect the rulings made by judges at the Orlando event and stands by the officials involved, emphasizing that judges are key to maintaining fair play in Play Pokemon competitions. It also recognized that players often get emotional after winning, but celebrations are only a problem if they become disruptive or compromise the fairness of the competition.

The statement didn’t seem to ease concerns within the Pokemon community. Many players and fans immediately felt that Play Pokemon was defending its position instead of acknowledging the main issue: Firestar73’s winning celebration happened after the game was already over.

Currently, Firestar73’s outcome stands as is, even though the player officially protested and many Pokémon Go fans campaigned to have the Orlando championship reinstated.

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2026-04-21 21:49