Remember the recent Glasgow Wonka experience that turned out to be a child’s worst nightmare? 2024 might be the year of disaster conventions, as Pokéverse, an unofficial Pokémon fan convention at SM Megamall in the Philippines, opened to dismal disappointment and a Fyre festival-esque recipe for disaster.
For a fan convention, it had promising guests, with Veronica Taylor who voices protagonist Ash Ketchum, and James Paige, who sang the iconic theme song in attendance. The festival claimed to be “made by fans for fans”, and had cosplay contests, scavenger hunts, and more, but attendees who got there were greeted with bare convention halls and unrelated booths. Tickets were overpriced, with a standard ticket going at ₱1,000 (S$22), and VIP tickets being sold at ₱6,000 (S$137).
Con-goer Rita took to X/Twitter to share her dissatisfaction with the event, with images of depressing inflatable booths and Pikachu, the game’s mascot, was notably absent. The event’s program was also described as misleading, and the artist alley was significantly downsized.
Boother Marie Angelique also recounted her experience on Facebook, saying that the Pokéverse fan convention did not acknowledge its non-sponsored artists, with little to no focus on the artist alley. The stage segment was the only redeeming factor of the event, but even then, Taylor and Paige weren’t paid for their appearance at the convention.
And that’s what happens when you let NFT companies sponsor your “made by fans for fans” convention, which turns into a poorly-disguised money grab. At least, the next unofficial Pokémon fan convention in the Philippines has a low bar to beat.
Trinity is a geek who enjoys watching anime, superhero and Sci-Fi movies and TV shows. She enjoys gaming (however has terrible gacha luck) and creates cool homebrew campaigns in her free time. She’s always up for a new adventure — with a cosy jacket and a good book in hand.
Si Jia
Marcus
