"We have always created product as fans" - Nadeshot responds to the backlash over 100 Thieves' collaboration with Pokemon

Matthew “Nadeshot,” CEO and founder of 100 Thieves, took to X on February 5, 2024, to give his thoughts on the Pokemon x 100 Thieves collaboration. As a long-time fan of the series, it’s something he was very excited about.

However, people have discussed it, and all they’ve talked about were the very simple but cool shirts with a Pokemon and the org’s logo. The content-creation organization's CEO opened up about the collaboration, saying there’s just so much more there.

Another important facet of this collaboration, according to Nadeshot, is that this, like all other drops the company does, is that they’re huge Pokemon fans. Many fans are still upset and complaining to the 100 Thieves CEO, but his video explained his stance:

“This has always been a common theme, with our collaborations, because for me, we have always created products as fans.”

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Nadeshot opens up about the 100 Thieves x Pokemon collaboration

There’s been a great deal of buzz about the 100 Thieves x Pokemon collaboration, brought to fans by Nadeshot. While many think several of the designs are cool, there’s been a lot of blowback for the simple designs on some of the apparel. This would prompt the CEO of the organization to take to X and offer a rebuttal.

Part of the problem, according to Nadeshot, is that while the collaboration is getting a significant amount of coverage, outlets and other content creators are only highlighting the shirts with the logo and a Pokemon on them when there’s so much more going on:

“A lot of the images that they’re posting for the printables, the T-shirts that we have comin’ in this drop, you know, you see just a Pokemon in front of our logo. And a lot of people don’t think that it is as creative as it could’ve been, but here’s the rub. A lot of people who see those images, they don’t get to see the actual lookbook of the full breadth . . . of product that’s going to be available.”

The lookbook is a part of the 100 Thieves website, where you can go to check out all the designs on offer in this Pokemon collaboration. However, Nadeshot feels that most people don’t even go to look at what else is there once they’ve made their mind up due to what they’ve seen on social media.

Nadeshot, who recently announced he was a father, would highlight several of these designs that he’s personally a fan of, that fans might have missed out on:

“For instance, right now, I’m wearing a fleece quarterzip, with Pikachu’s footprints littered all throughout the front and back of the actual quarterzip and it’s unbelievably comfortable, it looks great. I posted this in an Instagram story a couple of weeks ago, nobody knew what it was, and I had a million messages about ‘What sweater you’re wearing’.

“On top of that, we’ve got a brown pair of corduroys pants, all custom cut and sewn, with miniature Charizards and Pokeballs sewn into the corduroy. We’ve got a cashmere sweater, a letterman’s jacket with Pikachu and custom text, all throughout the front and back.”

Nadeshot would go on to say he’s not putting the blame on people on social media. It’s not their job to go look for more if they have a “knee-jerk reaction” to instantly disliking something they saw in the Pokemon x 100 Thieves collaboration. The content creator would say that he likes the look of the custom cut-and-sewn looks, but he also wanted simplistic styles:

“But on top of that, I just want to have some simplicity. Just so I can look back at it, see it in my closet, or see it online, and be like, ‘holy s**t. We gotta recognize that Pokemon is an official collaborator with 100 Thieves and the simplicity of those printable t-shirts is exactly what I want it to be.”

He didn’t want all the designs the organization made to be loud and extravagant. Sometimes, things can just be simple and clean. He would wrap up by saying the organization pumps their heart and soul into these designs, and recommended people actually take a look at the lookbook instead of making their mind up based on a tweet.

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Social media react to Nadeshot’s Pokemon x 100 Thieves response

Quite a few people would respond to Nadeshot’s video, with one recommending the streamer just come out and say they had “limited creative leverage.” The CEO would reply, stating that, of course, there are limits to what they can do, but there’s more to it than “limited creative leverage.”

Some would troll the 100 Thieves founder since he’s known to mostly reply to negative comments on the internet. So they would start it off with a mean thing but then backtrack and talk about how excited they were. Others would talk about the hypocrisy of fans, who always complain about things of this nature.

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While many fans were upset that 100 Thieves parted ways with Kyedae, there’s plenty to be excited about with this organization. The Pokemon x 100 Thieves collaboration will start selling on February 10, 2024, at 3 pm EST on their website.