Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 is the October 6 client update focused on Build & Battle reliability, card-rule bugs and several frustrating client problems. Pokémon scheduled the new version for 17:00 UTC today with no planned downtime, so the update window is now open even though mobile storefronts may take longer to show the download.
The patch is practical rather than flashy. Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 does not introduce a sweeping balance pass, but it fixes problems that could freeze matchmaking, block valid Build & Battle entries, break Prize-card setup and make several named cards behave incorrectly. That makes the version number worth checking before troubleshooting any of those issues.
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 patch notes
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 was scheduled for October 6 at 10:00 a.m. PDT, 17:00 UTC and 18:00 BST. Pokémon says no maintenance window is planned. Players already in a match should be allowed to finish it, then restart the client to install the new build.
Mobile players may not see Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 immediately. The official notes warn that iOS and Android stores can take up to an hour to surface the new version, so a missing Update button shortly after release does not automatically mean the rollout failed.
The only content addition called out directly is a new set of Build & Battle events scheduled for October and November 2026. The rest of Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 is devoted to fixes.
Build & Battle fixes
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 fixes two Build & Battle problems that mattered during the current event rotation. Cancelling matchmaking could leave the game unresponsive, forcing a restart instead of returning cleanly to the event screen.
The patch also fixes an issue where players with enough Event Tokens could still be blocked from beginning a new Build & Battle run. If that exact entry problem appears after Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 is installed, it should now be treated as a new reproduction rather than expected old behaviour.
- Cancelling Build & Battle matchmaking should no longer freeze the client.
- Players with enough Event Tokens should no longer be blocked from starting a run.
- New Build & Battle events are scheduled across October and November.
Iron Thorns ex setup freeze
One of the nastiest Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 fixes involves Iron Thorns ex from Twilight Masquerade. Putting Iron Thorns ex in the Active Spot or on the Bench during setup could prevent its owner from placing Prize cards, leaving both players stuck before the match properly began.
Version 1.43.0 fixes that setup state. This was a client bug rather than a normal rules interaction, so players who avoided opening with Iron Thorns ex because of the freeze can test it again on the updated build.
Card fixes for Ogerpon, Noivern, Decidueye ex and more
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 corrects several card-specific interactions. Voltaic Lightning Energy could wrongly be selected by effects searching for Basic Lightning Energy, while Lumiose City could fail to Bench a Basic Pokémon consistently when the opponent’s Bench was full.
Turtonator’s Shell Spikes could trigger from damage to a Benched Pokémon, Samurott’s Torrential Whirlpool could allow the wrong opposing Pokémon to be selected, and Shaymin’s Send Flowers could become unusable without a Benched Grass Pokémon.
Hearthflame Mask Ogerpon’s Fire Kagura now shuffles the deck after searching. Noivern’s Tuning Echo can activate when both players have the same hand size, while Decidueye ex’s Sniper’s Eye should work when the opponent has four cards in hand.
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 also fixes attacks that wrongly forced a target when choosing no target was legal, plus effects that could attach Energy from the deck to a Benched Pokémon even when no Benched Pokémon existed.
Friend challenge and Friends List fixes
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 fixes a waiting-screen problem where two players could challenge each other at the same time and both become stuck. The new client should resolve that race condition instead of leaving both players waiting indefinitely.
A separate Friends List bug is fixed as well. Removed friends could remain visible and then force the client to restart when a player tried to begin a match with them. Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 removes that stale-entry behaviour.
Accessibility and menu animation fixes
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 also makes two visual settings behave more consistently. Some card effects could remain active with Card Gameplay VFX Accessibility disabled, while some menu animations kept playing after Ambient Animations had been switched off.
These are smaller fixes, but they matter for players using those settings for accessibility or distraction reasons. The selected option should now control the relevant visual behaviour more reliably.
How to update to version 1.43.0
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 does not require scheduled downtime. On PC or Mac, finish any active match, close the client when prompted and reopen it so the new build can install.
On iOS and Android, check the platform store directly. Pokémon says app-store propagation can take up to an hour, so waiting through that window is better than immediately deleting and reinstalling the game.
If Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 still does not appear after the expected mobile delay, fully close both the game and store before checking again. Reinstallation should be a later step, not the first response to a staged store rollout.
What the patch does not fix
Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 removes several issues that overlapped with the October known-issues tracker, but it does not mean every current bug is gone. Pokémon has separately tracked match freezes, disconnects, reconnect problems, visual asset failures and other card-logic issues.
The useful rule after updating is to match the problem to the versioned notes. Build & Battle Event Token entry, cancelled matchmaking and the named card interactions above should now be considered fixed unless they reproduce on the new build. Other freezes or rule bugs may still belong to the wider known-issues list.
Before reporting a repeat problem, confirm Pokemon TCG Live 1.43.0 is actually installed and record the card, match state or menu action that triggered it. That gives support or the official forums something more useful than a generic report that the game is still broken.
Official source: Pokémon TCG Live Version 1.43.0 Patch Notes
