Pokémon TCG Pocket's highly anticipated trading update has arrived, but instead of celebration, it's met with widespread player outrage. The trading system, criticized last week for its restrictions, has launched to an even worse reception due to unexpectedly high resource requirements.
Players are flooding social media with complaints about excessive requirements and limitations. While the restrictions were previously disclosed, the sheer number of items needed for each trade was deliberately obscured by the vague statement "items must be consumed in order to trade."
Unlike Wonder Pick or booster pack openings, trading necessitates two distinct consumable items. The first is Trade Stamina, replenishing over time or purchasable with Poké Gold (real money).
The second item, Trade Tokens, is the source of the most significant backlash. Trading cards with a rarity of 3 Diamonds or higher demands a substantial number of Trade Tokens: 120 for a 3 Diamond card, 400 for a 1 Star card, and 500 for a 4 Diamond (ex Pokémon) card.
Trade Tokens are acquired solely by discarding cards from one's collection. The exchange rates are heavily skewed against the player, requiring the sale of multiple high-rarity cards to trade even a single one of similar or lower rarity. For example, five ex Pokémon must be sold to trade one, and selling a Crown rarity card (the rarest in the game) only yields enough tokens for three ex Pokémon trades. 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.
Overwhelming Negative Feedback
Reddit posts expressing outrage have garnered thousands of upvotes, with players labeling the trading update a "monumental failure," "hilariously toxic," and an "insult." Many players are vowing to stop spending money on the game, citing the excessive greed and the impracticality of the system. The 15-second transaction time for exchanging cards for tokens further exacerbates the tediousness of the process. Some players even suggest renaming the app to remove "Trading Card Game" from the title, given the current state of the trading mechanic.
Profit Motive Suspected
Many believe the trading system is designed to maximize revenue, especially considering the game's estimated $200 million revenue in its first month before the trading feature. The inability to trade cards of 2-Star rarity or higher strongly suggests a deliberate attempt to incentivize further in-app purchases. One player reported spending approximately $1,500 to complete the first set.
The lack of alternative methods to obtain Trade Tokens fuels the criticism. Players are forced to buy numerous packs repeatedly to accumulate enough tokens for trading, making the system unsustainable and predatory.
Creatures Inc.'s Silence
Creatures Inc. remains silent on the significant negative player response, a departure from their previous acknowledgement of initial concerns. IGN has reached out for comment, but no response has been received. While adding Trade Tokens as mission rewards could alleviate some issues, it's more likely that Trade Stamina will be rewarded instead, given the game's current reward structure.
The poorly received trading update casts a shadow over the upcoming release of the Diamond and Pearl expansion, introducing Pokémon like Dialga and Palkia. The negative feedback highlights a significant misstep for a game on the cusp of its next major content update.
