Pokémon TCG Pocket to Revamp Controversial Trading System

The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket have finally unveiled major improvements to the game's widely criticized trading function, which has been a significant source of frustration since its launch. While the proposed changes sound promising, the implementation timeline extends well into the future.

In a detailed post on the Pokémon community forums, the developers outlined the upcoming changes:

Removal of Trade Tokens

Trade tokens will be entirely phased out, eliminating the need for players to sacrifice cards to acquire trading currency. Instead, trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity will require shinedust. This resource is automatically earned when opening a booster pack and obtaining a card already registered in your Card Dex. Since shinedust is also used to obtain flair, the developers are considering increasing its availability to support trading as well. This shift should enable more frequent trading than before. Existing trade tokens will be converted to shinedust upon removal. Trading of one-diamond and two-diamond rarity cards will remain unchanged.

Additional Updates in Development

A new feature will allow players to share cards they're interested in trading through the in-game trading system. This is a significant enhancement, as the current system requires players to manually communicate their trade interests outside the game, making it cumbersome and less effective.

The elimination of trade tokens, previously the only currency for trading, marks a substantial improvement. Acquiring trade tokens was a tedious process that involved discarding valuable cards, which deterred many players from engaging in trades. The new system leverages shinedust, an existing in-game currency earned from duplicate cards and various events. This change should make trading more accessible and less costly, especially since many players already have surplus shinedust.

It's worth noting that imposing some cost to trading is necessary to prevent abuse, such as creating multiple accounts to funnel rare cards to a main account. The trade token system was simply too burdensome for the average player.

The upcoming feature allowing players to specify desired trade cards will significantly enhance the trading experience. Currently, without a way to communicate trade preferences within the game, trading with strangers is nearly impossible. This new feature should encourage more active trading and improve overall engagement.

The community's response to these changes has been overwhelmingly positive, though there's a notable downside: players who have already sacrificed rare cards to collect trade tokens will not recover their losses. While existing tokens will convert to shinedust, the discarded cards are gone for good.

However, the major drawback is the lengthy wait before these changes take effect. The developers have indicated that these updates won't be implemented until the fall of this year. In the interim, trading may come to a standstill as players are reluctant to use the current system with a better solution on the horizon. We might see several more expansions before the trading aspect of "Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket" truly flourishes.

In the meantime, holding onto your shinedust seems like a wise strategy!