Pokémon TCG Pocket's Trading Launch Sparks Outrage Among Players

The much-anticipated trading update for Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has finally arrived, but it has been met with a resounding wave of disappointment from the community. Despite the backlash that followed the initial reveal of the trading mechanics last week, the actual implementation has somehow managed to disappoint even further.

Players have flooded social media with their frustrations, pointing out the excessive requirements and stringent restrictions of the new trading feature. While some limitations were disclosed last week, the full extent of the demands was hidden behind the vague statement that "items must be consumed in order to trade."

Unlike the user-friendly Wonder Pick feature or opening booster packs, every trade now requires two distinct types of items. The first, Trade Stamina, is similar to other mechanics in the game. It regenerates over time or can be purchased with Poké Gold, which translates to real-world money.

Trade Tokens

The second item, Trade Tokens, is the focal point of the community's ire. These tokens are essential for trading cards at 3 Diamonds or higher. Trading a 3 Diamond card requires 120 Trade Tokens, a 1 Star card demands 400, and a 4 Diamond card, which includes ex Pokémon, needs a staggering 500 tokens.

Players can only acquire Trade Tokens by sacrificing cards from their collection. For instance, sacrificing a 3 Diamond card yields 25 Trade Tokens, a 1 Star card gives 100, a 4 Diamond card provides 125, a 2 Star card nets 300, a 3 Star immersive card also offers 300, and a Crown gold card, the rarest in the game, delivers 1500 tokens. Cards of lower rarities have no value and do not require tokens to trade.

This means players must sacrifice multiple high-value cards to trade just one. For example, five ex Pokémon must be sacrificed to trade one ex Pokémon, or five 1 Star cards, the rarest tradable cards, to trade one 1 Star card. Even selling a Crown rarity card, which could take months to obtain, only provides enough tokens to trade three ex Pokémon.

Moreover, selling a 3 Star immersive art card, one of the selling points of Pokémon TCG Pocket, does not yield enough tokens to trade either a 1 Star card or a 4 Diamond card.

'A Monumental Failure'

The trading update has been branded as an "insult" by players like hurtbowler on Reddit, who vowed not to spend any more money on the game. "It's just frustrating. The greed is so excessive that I can't be inclined to spend another dollar. They should probably remove 'Trading Card Game' from the title screen. It's just insulting to look at," they wrote in a highly upvoted post.

Another user commented, "It's silly to have to burn two immersive cards to be able to trade just one 4 Diamond ex. I understand they want to keep people from creating bots and exploiting the system, but this is currently absurd."

The trading system has been described as "hilariously toxic" and a "monumental failure," with many lamenting the loss of a "safe way for the community to connect more" in favor of a system that is "so laborious." The process of exchanging cards for Trade Tokens also takes around 15 seconds, meaning players could spend minutes navigating menus just to trade a single card.

Darkmalice suggested renaming the app to "Pokémon Card Game Pocket" due to the prohibitive trade costs, while another user speculated, "I don't think they want people trading at all. That's why they made it so bad."

Pay Day

The trading feature appears designed to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly earned $200 million in its first month before trading was introduced. The inability to trade cards of 2 Star rarity or higher suggests a strategy to encourage players to spend more on packs for a chance at obtaining missing cards. One player reportedly spent $1,500 to complete the first set, and the third set in three months is set to be released tomorrow.

ACNL on Reddit described the trading system as "predatory and downright greedy," highlighting the Trade Token conversion rates. "That's just messed up man. Like who designed this? If there were other ways to get tokens, this might be passable, but at the moment there are no other ways to get tokens. This isn't sustainable at all. On top of that, you can't even burn a card unless you have three copies of it. If you want to trade in this game, you better buy a ton of packs and keep buying them."

Creatures Inc. Stays Quiet

Creatures Inc. has not yet responded to the backlash against the trading update. Although it is rare for the developer to comment on such issues, it did address initial concerns last week, stating, "Your concerns are seen. Once this feature becomes available, I'd like to invite everyone to try it and provide feedback. This way, the game can continue to evolve in an enjoyable way for everyone."

This statement suggested potential improvements, but the reality has fallen short of expectations. IGN has reached out to Creatures Inc. for comment on the reaction and any planned changes.

Some users have suggested that the trading system could be improved by including Trade Tokens as rewards for missions. However, it is more likely that Trade Stamina will be featured in these rewards, as similar items like Wonder Stamina and Pack Hourglasses have been included previously.

The introduction of such a poorly received mechanic is a significant setback for Pokémon TCG Pocket, especially as it prepares to launch its next major update, introducing Diamond and Pearl Pokémon like Dialga and Palkia to the digital card game.