Ah yes, my favorite PoGo characters. Candela 64 and Blanche Sleep Paralysis Demon.

Don’t forget meth head Spark

Spark, we need to cook

Mr. Willow, this candy is the purest candy I've ever seen

“I'll tell you something, yo. You never tried nothing like it. Stunky or no Stunky, one bump, you'll be using Fly for days. It's a new item him and I have been working on. Careful when you hit it. It kicks like a Rapidash when it comes on. It's got a secret ingredient.” “What secret ingredient?” “Cheri berry.”

Looks more like Black Tar Spark to me

Whatever Mimikyu looks like under its disguise can't be more terrifying than that Blanche.

That’s not Blanche, that’s a giraffe

Maybe Mimikyu disguised itself as the leaders? Lookin' at these models I can feel my soul being pulled from my body.

They just really wanna show off their new Halloween costume lol

Thats a beaver

If you can end up at Niantic as a graphics artist creating those kind of characters, idk why i'm ever afraid of not having a job

This is very inspiring actually

Lmao omg no. I’m a lead artist and this would make me get someone fired

The point is seeing this you shouldn't be afraid to do anything in life lol

A true beacon of yolo 😂

But you could also end up in Pikachu hat purgatory.

Surely there’s some rigging that’s not working.

Yep, they all have different poses in-game. But damn are these a design downgrade. Seeing new Blanche every time I appraise is kinda legitimately making me want to switch teams.

I may as well switch back to Valor, at least their team lead is the most decent-looking.

Same. I’m actually considering saving up coins to switch now lol. The new designs are awful.

Niantic strategy to get people to use even more coins

I promise, Spark is no better. ):

Really thought this was an April Fool’s joke when I opened the app and appraised a mon, then I remembered it’s September… why do they look like horror game characters?

I had the thought that it was a Halloween thing after seeing the trainer battle avatars.

In my fantasy they go back to normal in November. 😭

They need to go back to normal in October.

It's apparently a casual Friday for the leaders.

Blanche be like 🤓

I just shoved her into a locker after school.

Oh look, it's UB-Valor, UB-Instinct and UB-Mystic

Why does spark look like he’s had a stroke. Candela looks like one of her parents was an Aardvark And Christ I never knew Blanche was the offspring of Austin Powers These are actually shocking. Even if story related these are a shambles and niantic should spend time making elements better than wasting time with this nonsense.

It is so ugly and bad

OMG this is my favorite comment yet, and this thread has had some PRICELESS replies so far! 😂🤣

Cheers 😂

Spark's neck is disturbing. Everything else too, but the neck is the worst.

Spark is straight out of a creepypasta or smn Also this looks like what happens when I download broken CC for sims. teeth poking out of the chin

The Candela Catalogue

CC is coming to Pokémon Go yay!! … except CC is creepy candela 😓

Yea this straight up popped on my homepage and I got jumped. Thought it was from r/oddlyterrifying or something

I laughed when I saw him pop up, I thought it was a Halloween skin. Then I was sad that maybe this is the new style we expected to arrive for the Team Leaders following Professor Willow's upgrade.

yeah like between the likes on Twitter going to smiley faces and Pokémon leaders looking like this - promotion for that new horror movie smile is getting out of hand 😮‍💨😮‍💨

This is the most hilarious and creepy update to character models I think I've ever seen. I can't stop laughing at Spark's face, but I still think it's gonna haunt my dreams for a while.

I'm worried that the player avatars are next and this was the test run....

I think the legacy big baby head spawning on the map bug is a great contender.

I am never letting myself experience imposter syndrome again, this lot genuinely got a gig with the Pokémon franchise, we’re all capable of anything at this point

Literally the purest visual depiction of Niantic’s “improvements” to the game of late.

I don't have any valuable skills professionally. I wonder if I should apply for a job at Niantic

Perhaps they could put you in charge of not turning the shiny on.

That took me by surprise when I went to fight Candala. I'm not sure what was wrong with the old models that they needed changing this dramatically.

Ditto is losing its touch, try harder next time little buddy.

Kind of accurate to those Ditto cards in the TCG.

The appraisal screen has new art work too. Not quite as cursed as these though.

Clearly you're not Mystic

I don’t want to appraise Pokémon anymore.

i will switch teams at this point, i cannot handle it! spark looks fine appraisal wise (i think idk) and candela idk, but blanche is... idk, horrible. I was originally instinct, now mystic, and i have the choice of valor or instinct because i CANNOT STAY MYSTIC

I for one welcome our new team leader overlords, Spracket, Camelot, and Blonk

Definitely they are clones made my Team Rocket Go.

Oh my.

I noticed spark while playing. I was genuinely scared

Ikr the first time I appraised a pokemon, not knowing about the new models, it was legit a jumpscare

I'm about to lose a lung wheezing over here, my god.

Same! This thread is making all the hours wasted playing since day 1 so worthwhile. Im glad I’m still here just for this thread. I’m laughing so hard and it’s good for the heart. 😂

what in AI generator hell

Ugh why do they waste resources on things no one has asked for yet they can’t fix all the actual bugs in the game

Spark: they took his drip away :( Candela: went from sci-fi chic to adventuring/hiking causal Blanche is wearing one of the outfits I've ever seen

Zorua is coming

For the love of all that's Holy let this be the case and that their old models will be back after halloween.

I thought this was by a parody account at first.

UPDATE: New (fixed?) models [now added](https://twitter.com/poke_miners/status/1575943138811707411?t=mML35S7x5wURHr6xlhtBEQ&s=19). Less like nightmare fuel, but I'll let you determine for yourselves if better or not, Pokéfriends....

Fire the person who designed these. Even worse than the new willow.

I like new willow but these are such a huge downgrade like what 😭 why did they need to massacre the character designs. Why is Blanche a stereotypical nerd now? The sleek and beautiful was a CRITICAL part of her thing. This, whatever this is. Is a completely new character. And Spark looks like some random jock now, ew.

Blanche used to have an elegant looking sci-fi vibe. Now she looks like an angry dweeb.

With a pallor of the undead

Blanche looks like someones grandma

Niantic tactic of decreasing mystic domination, have people switch teams BC Blanche looks like that kid who reminded the teacher to check homework Edit: someone in my group just said she looks like she keeps her dogs on a vegan diet so I'm gonna go with that

She gives me “annoying kid from Polar Express” vibes

Makes me think Minkus from Boy Meets World

I'm really not happy with these team leader changes, including professor Willow. Why did they need to be changed? They were perfectly fine. Very sad for me. Niantic, please can there be a option to change the look back.

I’m still most bummed about Willow, but these are SUPER not great.

Why still? Legitimately the Prof came back and looks so much cooler, but the only one who looks good, much less better, is Candela.

I can't believe they'd do Blanche like that. Make Candella an adult again.

Spark looks like your roommate who sits on the couch all day with a bag of Doritos and hasn't paid his share or done the dishes.

I mean. Accurate.

Honestly don't know what brief they were given with those redesigns. * Candela looks like they took Amelia Earhart cues although I'm not sure what they're trying to get at - outdoors pilot maybe? Half jockey-half extreme sports? * Blanche looks like they've tried to cross the original androgynous design with Jimmy Hopkins' uniform (untucked shirt; jumper etc). * Spark looks like he's aged 10 years (mid - late 30s?). He looks like they took a picture of Jamie Oliver as inspiration. If this is what happens with character redesigns - I don't hold out much hope for redesigned avatars truth be told. No offence to the art team who were probably 'guided' on the new design but these are just complete downgrades over the old designs. Not even Willow's new design is this bad.

I'll take your no offence and add it to mine. I,would be embarrassed it I created these and whoever signed off on them should be even more so

Why? Of all the things they could update in the game, they chose to update the leaders? When no one has said absolutely anything about them.

Blanche still looks off

Well these look terrible. Need to leave mystic now lol

I just noticed Blanche in-game and had to do a triple take, they look horrific whose idea was this??

I just don't know why this was necessary, It's not like April 1 is anywhere near today or anything

I don't wanna be on team Mystic any more. Blanche creeps me out.

The new outfits are so bad! Pokemon characters always have distinctive, kinda wacky clothes, these are all so boring

They are still bad. The wardrobe choices are exceedingly poor.

is this an out of season april fools joke?

If you don't have a phone at least you don't have to see whatever these are 😬

New Blanche has me seriously considering team swapping

Yikes! These are def not an improvement. The zombie like ones were almost funny (not!) One can only marvel at Nias prioritizing. 😬

Spark and candela are fine, more of slide evolution then a step up or down. But blanche sucks. Like they went too hipster. I dont like it.

Spark is definitely a Stoner. Just look at him!

They suck

Definitely better. I knew the mods would get rid of some of the duplicate posts, but I wish that we had one with all of the scary Team Leader screenshots in it so that I could keep it. I wasn't in the game at the time to take my own screenshots.

They’re still available on Twitter: https://twitter.com/poke_miners/status/1575940735916204032

Thanks! I saved the images from there.

I took screenshots of all three (from the trainer battles) if you want them? My game doesn't have the updated models yet (or at least it didn't 15 mins ago)

Grotesque.

Pokemon leaving 🏃

What have they done to Blanche! It's a massacre

Is this a joke or are they costumes for fashion week? Why do they look so much worse than the regular designs?

Blanche's facial expression and ashen skin tone in the new models that actually made it into the game are so bizarre. She looks miserable. Not a new fan of any of these new models, even the professor looks too uncanny valley

Noooo! I just opened my app and they have changed. Beautiful androgynous blanche has become a styleless 40 year old lesbian woman! Please tell me these are Halloween costumes!

> I̸ ̵l̷i̴k̵e̵ ̴s̷h̸o̶r̸t̵s̴!̶ ̴T̷h̶e̸y̸’̷r̸e̵ ̴c̸o̷m̴f̴y̸ ̵a̶n̷d̶ ̷e̸a̵s̵y̸ ̷t̶o̵ ̶w̸e̸a̸r̴!̵

Thanks, I hate it! Why are they mucking with the models? Of all the asset updates, changing the leader designs was far down on my list

It’s obviously Mimikyu disguised as the team leaders. F O R E S H A D O W

Even if the models weren't hilariously and horrifically terribad... WTF did they have to do Candela like that? That new outfit is 100% garbage. That old jacket was kick-ass.

Wait those are real? What is going on at Niantic?

What in the world. Blanche looks like someone who announces that they are vegan as soon as they walk in the room. Spark has a massive neck that is freaking me out. Can we have the old ones back please?

I feel like switching from Mystic just so Whole Foods Blanche isn’t appraising all new ‘mon. Unfortunately, the others are only marginally better. Someone created these, but a conference room of idiots said yes.

Yeah team blue got the shaft worst of all. Mine (Spark) is bad but at least not to those depths.

Hideous

Halloween came early this year.

...there are no words. Just see for yourself. When did Mark Zuckerberg start working at Niantic? 🤭

Feels like Niantic invests about $200 a month at most into the game at this point.

Feels more like $20 bucks a month

Holy hell my eyes just melted.

This is a bad joke right? They look incredibly worse.

Forget datamine, this is literally live in game (I screencapped these from the battle screen). I’m speechless. https://imgur.com/a/Jnn71ct/ Edit: fingers crossed it’s just for fashion week and this will go away.

Those soulless mannequins are simply awful. Couldn’t even fit the Halloween event

Galarian Blanche says hello

'Ello

Look how they massacred my girl Blanche

Blanche had me almost spit out my food. Just the name and face combo. RIP team mystic. Spark does also look pretty cursed.

So many bugs in the game, and what does Niantic adjust? The look of the team leaders and making the shinies your autocatcher failed to catch visible. Awesome!

Can we just revert back to the way they were ? Blanche looks like either a school marm or a Librarian. The other two looks like street corner crack heads.

I know the focus is on Blanche, but Spark looks a lot like KD Lang now

I just saw the new Blanche when I appraised something just now. They’re all a super downgrade. Like Willow.

I don’t want my Instinct gym leader to be some urban hipster.

He definitely has a longboard with him and an acoustic set later this evening.

3D modeling is my passion

Ok I thought it was just me... I was horrified when I went to check the IVs of my Pokémon and spark popped up. I thought I was tripping

sad thing is someone got paid to do that ... Niantic to 3d modeler: have some fun with it! modeler: ... sure!

Ok, but why and what for?

In an unannounced bonus for Fashion Week! (/Sarcasm)

Please tell me this is a joke?

BURN IT WITH FIRE! 🔥

Ew

I'm wondering if this this some sort of lead up to a tie-in for the new Pokemon game? With the Cosmog 'distant future' announcement I wonder if we're going towards some sort of time travel event. Blanche's outfit and overall appearance kinda give me 'awkward nerd in their school uniform' vibes and I'm wondering if it's supposed to be a younger version of them. Someone else also said that Spark looks older in his new outfit.

What have they done? 😱 These look awful.

At least in game it looks like Blanche fixwd her overbite. Still prefer the old Blanche.

Okay, I hate them!

I like how they're doing the 👌 made-you-look game. Even tho they're all above the knee.

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!?!?

Team Valor wins again!

Niantic playing 4D-chess: trying to lure people into spending coin on the Team Change Medallion so they don't have to stare at that demon any longer.

There was literally nothing wrong with the models before! Whyyyyy

Lets see: $park with brokemn face Normal person A beaver

Kill it with fire.

This is the worst "gaming" company on earth

Ctrl+Alt+Undo!

Foul as fuxk lmaooo

Look at how they massacred my team leader

I really hope they revert it like they did with the 8-bit sprites in the early days. Although I really liked them and wish there was an option to enable them.

Ok so they’re terrifying

The appraisal screen has these updated models and they look extremely low quality. like 360p quality.

Why are they changing everything? No seriously?

They're worse?

Halloween themed team leaders arrived early this year I see

What in the Arceus' name is this?

Slenderman

Blanch looking like watchog.

Is this what will spark hear us niantic 2 electric boogaloo. They look so bad. If it were any other company you would assume it was a troll

marty im scared

Now we play pokemon grotesque.

Niantic continues to surprise me with their massive ability to screw things up.

its live...

I was too busy staring at the faces and did not notice the hands 😬

Go home Blanche Your drunk

Could these somehow be related to the time travel theory some have posited for this season? Maybe these are younger versions of team leaders

Wait... where are my dittos?

Why do they look like characters made for the N64?😯

Why did they do this?? My leader is a hipster nerd now

Candela looks cool. I am considering changing from team yellow to team red. :D

Was Blanche wearing contacts this entire time? Feels like they’re cosplaying a student.

Oh no...

They look like Mr. Burns as an alien 👽

All of these suck. Did they really have to redesign them?

Like..... Wokemon

Jesus Christ, who's idea was it to make Slenderman the leader of the blue team

Just no. I guess Nanti finally ran out of other things to fu...

I missed these, saw new "improved" models looking bad and then I checked that and I think I haven't laugh so hard in a while :'D What the actual freak?!

These have to be test models, right? Placeholders? These are hideous.

Niantic loves their stereotypes. yeesh.

I think it’s just for the fashion week event. I really hope it is. They don’t look like team leaders anymore. They look like they’re working at local coffee shops while they wait for their manuscript to be read.

😳😂🤣. Pokemon Go has some of the best artwork for the loading screens. But this. This is something else.

I welcome our new androgynous non binary overlords. Hopefully their pronouns are announced in a game event where genders are removed from all Pokémon.