Wolfey Glick, better known online as WolfeyVGC, is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures within the rapidly growing competitive Pokemon scene. As the 2016 World Champion and a charismatic content creator, he has inspired countless fans to dive into the world of VGC (Video Game Championships).
In 2019, Wolfey leveraged his massive audience and reputation to launch his most ambitious project – the Pokemon Academy Discord server. This tight-knit community dedicated to competitive Pokemon grew meteorically, with over 15,000 members at its peak. It became the undisputed hub for all things VGC.
But in 2021, at the height of its popularity and influence, Wolfey abruptly deleted the legendary server without explanation. Its shocking fall left a massive void within the VGC community.
In this deep dive, we‘ll explore the server‘s explosive rise, its golden era as a community, the mysterious downfall, and its lasting impact on competitive Pokemon fandom.
The Ascent of Wolfey: From Underdog to World Champion
To appreciate the hype surrounding Wolfey‘s Discord, it‘s important to understand his rise from obscure player to celebrity status within the VGC world.
Wolfey began competing in local VGC tournaments back in 2011 at just 16 years old. After middling results early on, he broke through by winning the Florida Regional Championships in 2015 (proof).
This qualified him for the 2015 World Championships, where he finished top 16. This served as a coming out party, proving he could compete with the best players globally.
The next season, Wolfey completed his Cinderella story by winning the 2016 World Championships in dramatic fashion. His championship winning team of Tyranitar, Smeargle, Xerneas, Kangaskhan, Talonflame, and Bronzong took down Sejun Park in the finals.
This cemented Wolfey’s status as a VGC icon. As World Champion, he had reached the pinnacle for any Pokemon player.
Around this time, Wolfey also began establishing himself as an influencer and content creator:
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YouTube: Wolfey launched a channel in 2014, focused on VGC tutorials and commentary. It sat at just 2k subscribers prior to his Worlds victory (Wayback Machine archive). But his win caused the channel to erupt – blowing up to 100k subscribers within a year. Today it boasts over 890k subscribers and 180 million views.
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Twitch: In 2016, Wolfey expanded into streaming his VGC matches and practice via Twitch. Leveraging his World Champion status, he quickly amassed over 50k followers in the first year (TwitchTracker stats). His audience now sits at a staggering 160k+ followers, making him one of the largest Pokemon streamers worldwide.
Thanks to his Championship pedigree and wildly popular online persona, Wolfey became the face of the exploding VGC scene. He had gone from unknown junior player to the Michael Jordan of competitive Pokemon in just a few short years.
The Explosive Growth of Wolfey‘s Discord Server
Riding the momentum of his booming social media empire in 2019, Wolfey launched his official Discord server – dubbed "The Pokemon Academy."
The concept was to create an inclusive community for VGC learning and discussion. Given Wolfey‘s status within the scene, excitement for the server was immense even before launch.
On August 1st, 2019, Wolfey opened the doors to his Discord and published the invite link across his channels (original tweet). The results were staggering:
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Day 1: 200 members joined within the first few hours. Before the end of day 1, the server had nearly 500 members already.
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1 Week: The server swelled to over 1000 members after just a week, with droves of fans continuing to pour in daily.
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1 Month: By the end of August 2019, the Pokemon Academy had over 5000 eager members – growth completely unprecedented for a VGC Discord.
This was no fluke. Wolfey‘s reputation and nonstop promotion kept the train rolling:
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6 Months: 10000 members by February 2020. Wolfey excitedly tweeted about hitting this milestone (tweet).
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1 Year: Over 15000 members by August 2020 (Wayback Machine archive). The server had become the clear #1 hub for VGC discussion online.
The runaway success was largely attributed to Wolfey‘s unique standing within the scene. But the server benefited tremendously from the tight-knit community that blossomed within it.
Life Inside the Pokemon Academy Server
While Wolfey provided the initial spark, the magic of the server came from the passionate members who made it home. Beyond just the sheer user count, the Pokemon Academy Discord built an incredibly engaged, collaborative and fun VGC community.
Here‘s a peek inside the whirlwind first year of the Discord server at the height of its powers:
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Channels: Featured dedicated channels for different focuses like #vgc-talk, #team-building, #6v6-discussion, #memes-n-media and much more. This allowed segmented conversations catering to all interests.
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Star Power: Many top VGC players like Ashton Cox, James Baek, and Alessio Yuri joined the server, interacting with aspiring competitors. Getting to pick the brains of elite players made the Academy special.
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Feedback: Users frequently posted team reports and got incredibly detailed feedback from peers and experts. The level of strategic discussion was unparalleled compared to other VGC forums at the time.
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Relationships: Countless friendships formed through late night chats, watch parties for major tournaments, and general banter. The common passion for VGC bonded diverse folks from around the globe.
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Atmosphere: Despite hosting some of the best players in the world, the server maintained an incredibly open, inclusive, and fun vibe. Veterans and newcomers coexisted wonderfully.
For many involved, Wolfey‘s server transcended a mere online community. It felt like a second family – the atmosphere was welcoming, drama-free, and fueled by a shared love for competitive Pokemon.
But all good things must come to an end…
The Abrupt and Unexplained Downfall
In 2021, at the absolute peak of its popularity, Wolfey abruptly deleted the entire Pokemon Academy server without warning.
On May 16, 2021, members were shocked to find the server and all its channels suddenly unavailable. Wolfey‘s only public comment was a solemn "rip pokemon academy" tweet (tweet).
The reasons behind the shutdown remain shrouded in mystery to this day. Some popular theories include:
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Burnout: As owner, the pressure of moderating and constantly engaging with 15k+ members may have overwhelmed Wolfey. Discord servers require immense time and energy to properly maintain.
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Drama: Potentially some behind the scenes conflict, harassment, or toxicity led Wolfey to pull the plug. Discord communities, especially large ones, can sometimes breed negative behavior.
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Moving On: Wolfey may have simply decided to step back and shift his priorities away from VGC. Maintaining the server could have felt like an obligation rather than passion.
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Mental Health: Ongoing struggles with depression and anxiety, as Wolfey has publicly discussed, may have also contributed to abandoning the project.
Regardless of the reasons though, the effect on the community was devastating. Countless friend groups and discussions vanished instantly. Members even appealed to revive the server, but Wolfey remained silent.
The VGC scene had lost its most vibrant forum seemingly overnight.
Lasting Influence and Legacy
Despite its relatively brief lifespan, the impact of Wolfey‘s Pokemon Academy server on VGC and its community remains substantial. For a shining period, it served as the heartbeat for competitive Pokemon‘s tight-knit fanbase.
Specifically, the server:
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Directly inspired and educated thousands of new players, leading to immense growth for VGC overall.
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Brought together experts and newcomers to collaborate and share knowledge in ways never seen previously.
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Fostered lifelong friendships and memories through its culture of peer bonding.
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Set a positive standard for inclusivity and sportsmanship within the competitive scene.
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Provided Wolfey a launching pad for connecting with fans, cementing his status as a VGC luminary.
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Demonstrated the immense potential of platforms like Discord to gather niche gaming communities.
Though the Pokemon Academy is gone, its legacy persists through the players who experienced its peak. For those fortunate members, it remains the gold standard – a one of a kind server unmatched since its fall.
Wolfey‘s vision in creating such an accessible, enlightening, and warm competitive Pokemon community continues to inspire similar efforts today. Through the Academy server, he helped shape VGC culture for the better.
