New Pokémon TCG Update Gives Tokens to Players, Fails to Address Concerns

Creatures Inc., the developer of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, has addressed player concerns regarding the recently implemented trading mechanic by gifting players 1,000 Trade Tokens. This is enough for only two substantial trades. The developer continues to investigate improvements to the system.

Players received the Trade Tokens silently in their in-game Gift menu. Creatures Inc. issued a statement on X/Twitter expressing gratitude for player feedback and patience. The initial release of the trading feature last week was met with significant criticism, with many players describing the system as "hilariously toxic," "predatory," and "downright greedy."

The trading system, like other aspects of Pokémon TCG Pocket, incorporates restrictions limiting pack openings, Wonder Picking, and trading frequency without in-app purchases. The introduction of Trade Tokens further restricted trading, prompting criticism due to their high acquisition cost. Players needed to remove five cards of equivalent rarity to trade one.

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Over a week after the controversial launch, Creatures Inc. acknowledged that the trading restrictions hindered casual enjoyment. While promising to address these issues by offering required items as event rewards, the recent Cresselia ex Drop Event (February 3rd) failed to deliver on this promise.

Many players believe the trading system is designed to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly generated $200 million in its first month before trading was introduced. This suspicion is fueled by the inability to trade cards of 2-Star rarity or higher, a limitation that forces players to spend significant sums ($10, $100, or more) for a chance at obtaining rarer cards. One player reported spending approximately $1,500 to complete the first set. The third set was released last week.