It has been confirmed that the semifinal bracket rules for 'Pokémon UNITE' at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games were changed after the group draw was completed. The revised rulebook was notified only on the morning of the first preliminary match day, and no separate explanation was provided for the rule change. The South Korean national team only found out that they would face Japan in the semifinals on the night of September 26, when the bracket was finalized.
According to a response provided by the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) to Inven, the initial version 1.0 of the rulebook was distributed on September 12, and the group draw took place on September 16. Subsequently, version 2.0, which altered the bracket rules, was announced via Discord on the morning of September 25.
The difference between the two versions emerged in the semifinal matchups. Under the original rulebook, the 1st and 2nd placed teams from the same group could only meet again if both reached the finals. In the revised edition, while the 1st and 2nd placed teams from Groups A and B were placed in different semifinal matches, only the 1st and 2nd placed teams from Group C were structured to meet again in the semifinals.
South Korea, which was in Group C, was directly affected. According to the national team, if the final top-four teams had been placed under the original rulebook's structure, South Korea's semifinal opponent would have been the Philippines. However, due to the revised rules, they faced tournament favorite Japan—whom they had already competed against in the same group—again in the semifinals.
A national team player, who requested anonymity, said, "We were preparing according to the expected matchup based on the original rulebook, but suddenly the structure changed so that we had to face Japan. We were caught off guard since we were preparing for our immediate opponents first, and we had to hastily prepare for the match against Japan."
The reason why different bracket rules were applied only to Group C remains unconfirmed. KeSPA requested explanations from the organizing committee multiple times. KeSPA stated, "We suspect the format was altered because the tournament was conducted with an odd number of teams, but we have received no official explanation from the organizing committee. It is disappointing that the changes were announced on the morning of the first match day after the group draw was already completed on September 16."
In addition to the bracket, the player seating order differed from previous guidelines. The national team confirmed at the venue of the first preliminary match that the seating order for the bottom lane position had been changed. However, KeSPA explained that this change did not cause significant issues in on-site adaptation.
KeSPA pointed out that this issue was not isolated to this single event. KeSPA explained that in the previously conducted 'Puyo Puyo' and fighting game events, there were also multiple sudden changes regarding match setups, and requests for adjustments were not accepted. KeSPA added, "It is regrettable that there were frequent regulatory changes that could directly or indirectly affect athletes' performance."
South Korea lost 0-2 in set score to Japan in the semifinals on September 27, concluding the tournament with a bronze medal. A national team player said, "Although it was disconcerting, we felt that Japan was an opponent we had to beat anyway if we wanted to win the gold medal. A result is a result, and losing to Japan itself comes down to performance."
However, the player expressed hope that similar confusion would not be repeated in future tournaments. "If rules change, I hope they inform the players directly and provide the new rulebook immediately," the player emphasized. "I hope communication is handled better next time."
