Pokémon TCG Pocket Gets Trading Today and Players Absolutely Hate It

Pokémon TCG Pocket's highly anticipated trading update has arrived, but instead of celebration, the player base is erupting in frustration. The trading mechanic, already criticized last week for its restrictions, has launched to an even worse reception due to unexpectedly high requirements.

Players are flooding social media with complaints about the excessive demands and limitations. While the restrictions were disclosed earlier, the sheer number of items needed for each trade was obscured behind the vague statement, "items must be consumed in order to trade."

Unlike opening booster packs or using Wonder Pick, trading necessitates two distinct consumable items. First, players need Trade Stamina, which regenerates slowly or can be purchased with Poké Gold (real money).

The second, and far more controversial, requirement is Trade Tokens. Trading cards of 3 Diamonds or higher demands a significant number of these tokens: 120 for a 3-Diamond card, 400 for a 1-Star card, and a whopping 500 for a 4-Diamond (ex Pokémon) card.

Trade Tokens are earned only by discarding cards from your collection. The exchange rates are heavily weighted against the player: a 3-Diamond card yields 25 tokens, a 1-Star card 100, a 4-Diamond card 125, a 2-Star card 300, a 3-Star immersive card 300, and a Crown gold card 1500. Lower rarity cards are worthless for token acquisition.

This system effectively forces players to sacrifice multiple valuable cards to trade even a single high-rarity card. For example, trading one ex Pokémon requires selling five others, and selling a single Crown card—the rarest in the game—only provides enough tokens for three ex Pokémon trades. Even selling a 3-Star immersive art card, a key selling point of the game, doesn't provide enough tokens to trade a 1-Star or 4-Diamond card.

'A Monumental Failure'

Reddit threads are ablaze with outrage. Posts like hurtbowler's, garnering over 1,000 upvotes, express profound disappointment and vows to cease spending on the game. Comments echo sentiments of "hilariously toxic," "monumental failure," and lament the loss of a "safe way for the community to connect." The 15-second exchange time for tokens adds further frustration, turning single trades into multi-minute processes. Many players are openly questioning the developer's intentions, suggesting the system actively discourages trading.

Pay Day

The trading system is widely viewed as a blatant revenue grab. With Pokémon TCG Pocket already estimated to have generated $200 million in its first month before the trading update, the current system is seen as excessively predatory. The inability to easily trade high-rarity cards ensures players are incentivized to spend heavily on packs to obtain the cards they need, rather than trading for them. One player reported spending approximately $1,500 to complete the first set.

Players like ACNL on Reddit highlight the unsustainable nature of the token economy and the lack of alternative acquisition methods. The requirement of three copies of a card before it can even be sold for tokens adds further insult to injury.

Creatures Inc. Stays Quiet

Creatures Inc. remains silent amidst the firestorm, a stark contrast to their previous response to initial concerns. Their earlier assurance that feedback would shape the game's evolution rings hollow in light of the current situation. IGN has reached out to Creatures Inc. for comment, but as of yet, there has been no response.

Suggestions for improvement include adding Trade Tokens as rewards for missions, although it seems more likely that Trade Stamina will be rewarded instead. The poorly-received trading update casts a shadow over the upcoming Diamond and Pearl update, introducing Pokémon like Dialga and Palkia. The current state of affairs leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of players, particularly considering the game's immense popularity and prior financial success.