Gyms are supposed to be arenas where the best trainers in the world achieve glory with the help of the most powerful Pokémon. Somehow, gyms everywhere have turned into a non-stop Magikarp train instead.
Those of you playing Pokémon Go may have noticed that it has become a thing to challenge and defeat a gym, only to replace the crowning champions with low-level Magikarps. Apparently, this has a name: “Karping,” according to Babycastles co-owner Todd Anderson.
On social media, people are posting dozens of screenshots daily of gyms with Magikarp defenders. Sometimes, it’s just for fun—I mean, it’s pretty funny to see a Magikarp gym leader, even if you know it’ll get dethroned quickly. Other times, the gym Magikarp is meant as an insult against the defeated team. And some trainers clearly just want to watch the world burn, one splash at a time. Here’s a small taste of the silliest trends in Pokémon Go: