Pokémon Go EUIC Champion P4T0M4N hoping for change in the meta after incredible victory

The Pokémon Go matches during EUIC 2025 were a delight to watch, with the brackets being packed to the brim with talented players and a wide variety of interesting Pokémon.

In an explosive grand finals match featuring Pokémon like Shadow Drapion and Shadow Walrein, P4T0M4N grabbed the crown while competing against Zzweilous, putting on an impressive display. 

I got to speak with P4T0M4N just a few moments after his victorious celebration on the main stage, courtesy of a media pass provided by The Pokémon Company, to see what it was like to win the esteemed gaming title. He shared that he felt incredibly excited to have won and never expected to end up in the position of Pokémon Go Champion.

When asked about how it felt to win against Zzweilous—who previously beat him to the top spot at the 2024 Barcelona Special Event—P4T0M4N noted that he’d been scared about history repeating itself. He focused on keeping himself calm and felt that he’d done well in the match overall.

In terms of tournament preparation and what his mindset is like before heading into an event like EUIC, the player explained how he usually tries to play uncommon teams. He looks for a blend of meta picks and “spicier” options when building his roster, aiming to match up against the current meta smoothly. 

I pointed out Shadow Drapion as one of the most crucial parts of his Championship-winning team while discussing his picks, as it seemed to be a core part of his strategy in the stream matches. P4T0M4N agreed that Shadow Drapion was “really meta right now” and one of the most flexible options in the scene but highlighted Shadow Walrein as the best pick of the bunch. He dubbed the Ice Break Pokémon the MVP of his team, praising its incredible consistency throughout the entire tournament. 

We then spoke about the state of Go from a competitive angle and whether he felt that the current meta was balanced or not. He shared that the meta needed to change somewhat and become a little more flexible. He admitted, “It was really hard to find a good team for this tournament,” but he was confident the meta would get better soon. 

It was fascinating to hear about P4T0M4N’s process of selecting a team and which Pokémon stood out to him, especially after such an immense performance in the EUIC 2025 Pokémon Go grand finals. I’m certain that we’ll see even more stellar matches from this player as the year unfolds.