Pokemon TCG Pocket Backlash Prompts Trading Feature Improvements

Pokemon TCG Pocket's Trading Feature Under Fire: DeNA Promises Improvements

Following player backlash, DeNA, the developer of Pokemon TCG Pocket, has pledged to revamp its recently implemented trading feature. The controversy stems from several key issues highlighted by the community.

High Cost of Trade Tokens:

Introduced on January 29th, 2025, the trading system allows exchanges of 1-4 Diamond and 1-Star rarity cards from Genetic Apex and Mythical Island booster packs. While beneficial for Pokedex completion, the limitations – restricted card selection, a new in-game currency (trade tokens), and exorbitant trading costs – have sparked widespread dissatisfaction. Acquiring enough tokens to trade higher-rarity cards requires sacrificing numerous lower-rarity cards, a process deemed inefficient and frustrating by many players. For example, trading a 4-Diamond card demands 500 tokens, while selling a 1-Star card only yields 100.

DeNA acknowledges the criticism, stating they are actively exploring solutions to improve token acquisition, including potential event distributions. Currently, only 1-Star cards are tradeable.

Addressing Botting Concerns:

DeNA justified the stringent trading rules as a measure against botting and multi-account abuse, aiming to maintain a fair and enjoyable card-collecting experience. While the intention is understandable, the current implementation has clearly fallen short of expectations.

Genetic Apex Booster Pack Accessibility:

Another point of contention involves the release of Space-Time Smackdown booster packs on January 29th, 2025. Some players mistakenly believed the Genetic Apex packs were removed, due to their absence from the main screen. This was clarified as a UI issue; the Genetic Apex packs remain accessible via a less prominent "Select other booster packs" option.

While potentially a design oversight, some players suspect it was a deliberate marketing tactic to encourage purchases of the newer packs. Regardless, the lack of clear visibility has caused unnecessary anxiety. Players are advocating for a UI update to prominently display all available booster packs.

DeNA has yet to directly address this UI issue, but the clarification provided should alleviate concerns about the availability of Genetic Apex packs. The future holds the promise of improvements to the trading system, although specific details remain undisclosed.