High Rarity Pokémon TCG Pocket Cards Fuel Black Market Trading

The emergence of a black market for digital cards in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has caught the attention of players and collectors alike. Through the game's newly introduced trading mechanic, players are engaging in unauthorized transactions on platforms like eBay, selling cards for prices ranging from $5 to $10. These transactions involve the exchange of friend codes and the use of Trade Tokens, Trade Stamina, and Pokémon cards of the same rarity, which raises concerns about compliance with the game's terms of service.

For instance, a listing for a Starmie ex card at $5.99 requires buyers to have 500 Trade Tokens, one Trade Stamina, and an "unwanted Pokémon ex" to trade for the desired card. This practice not only breaches the terms of service, which explicitly prohibit the buying or selling of virtual content, but it also exploits the system in a way that benefits sellers without any loss of inventory. Since only cards of the same rarity can be traded, sellers can continue to trade and resell ex Pokémon cards, perpetuating the cycle.

eBay listings are not limited to ex Pokémon cards; they also include highly sought-after 1 Star and alternate art cards. Even entire accounts, complete with Pack Hourglasses and rare cards, are being sold, a practice seen in various online games despite violating service agreements.

The trading feature in Pokémon TCG Pocket has been controversial since its launch, primarily due to the restrictions imposed by the Trade Tokens system. Players must delete five cards from their collection to obtain one Trade Token, a cost many have criticized as excessively high. This has led to a black market that would likely exist regardless of trading restrictions, fueled by the basic nature of the trading system that requires players to be friends to trade cards.

Community members, like siraquakip on Reddit, have expressed a desire for a more integrated trading system within the app itself, which would reduce the need for external platforms like eBay, Reddit, and Discord for trading. This would facilitate safer and more direct connections among players.

Creatures Inc., the developer, has already cautioned players against engaging in these unauthorized transactions, warning of potential account suspensions or other actions for violations of the Terms of Use. Ironically, the Trade Tokens system was introduced to prevent such exploitation, yet it has failed to curb the issue and has instead alienated many players.

As the developer actively investigates ways to enhance the trading feature, no specific improvements have been announced despite ongoing complaints. Critics argue that the trading system is designed to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which has already generated substantial earnings. The restriction on trading cards of 2 Star rarity or higher further suggests a strategy to encourage spending on random card packs, as evidenced by a player who spent $1,500 to complete the first set.

For those interested in the aesthetic appeal of the game, here's a gallery of every alternate art 'Secret' card from the Pokémon TCG Pocket: Space Time Smackdown expansion.

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