Former Pokémon VGC world champion and renowned player Wolfe "WolfeyVGC" Glick dropped a bombshell on October 23, 2025: he's taking a break from all offline competitive play. The reasons? Repeated fan harassment at events and a gnarly battle with competition anxiety.
The 2016 Pokémon World Championships winner, who also boasts over 2 million YouTube subscribers as a streamer and analyst, sent shockwaves through the community with his announcement.
In his statement, Wolfe revealed that his recent experiences at in-person events have become "increasingly painful," with the 2025 World Championships pushing him to his breaking point. He detailed attending seven official tournaments between September 2024 and August 2025, where he endured non-consensual physical contact and sexual harassment from fans at five of them.
"Fans would sexually harass or directly touch me in a sexually suggestive manner during photo ops, all without my consent," Wolfe explained. "Most people know this isn't normal behavior, but I can't understand why it keeps happening to me."
Beyond the harassment, Wolfe also opened up about the immense physical and mental toll competitive play has taken. He cited a recurring neck injury and crippling anxiety during tournaments, making it impossible to enjoy the game. "I always thought of myself as someone not easily anxious, but Pokémon competitions are an exception," he shared. "That anxiety and pressure are so intense that everything else pales in comparison. Every time I come home from a competition, it takes me a week to recover, and even going out makes my heart race."
He confirmed he won't be hitting any in-person tournaments for the next four months, including International Championships, US Regionals, and the Toronto Regional.
"I'd rather take a break now proactively than be forced to leave when my mind and body completely collapse," he stressed.
Even with all this, Wolfe isn't calling it quits entirely. He still "loves the game and the community," but just needs time to reset.
"Even if I qualify for the World Championships in the future, I will not attend, because the experiences of the past year have made me averse to the live environment," he concluded. "I sincerely hope that the competitive arena can become a safe and respectful place where every player can focus on the game, not fear."