Pokémon TCG Pocket Gets Trading Today and Players Absolutely Hate It

Pokémon TCG Pocket's highly anticipated trading update has arrived, but instead of celebration, it's met with widespread player outrage. The trading system, already 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 disclosed previously, the sheer number of resources needed for each trade was obfuscated under the statement "items must be consumed in order to trade."

Unlike Wonder Pick or booster packs, trading demands two consumable items: Trade Stamina and Trade Tokens. Trade Stamina, replenishing over time or purchasable with Poké Gold (real money), is one requirement.

The other, and the source of significant controversy, is Trade Tokens. Trading cards of 3 Diamonds or higher necessitates 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 earned by discarding cards from a player's collection. The exchange rates are heavily weighted against the player, requiring the sale of multiple high-rarity cards to trade even a single valuable card. For instance, 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. Lower rarity cards are worthless for trading.

Overwhelming Negative Feedback

Reddit posts are overflowing with criticism, with comments like "monumental failure" and "hilariously toxic" dominating the conversation. Players are expressing frustration at the laborious process and the perceived greed behind the system. The 15-second exchange time for tokens adds to the inconvenience, making even a single trade a time-consuming task. Many are calling for the game's title to be changed, given the current state of the trading mechanic. Some players have even vowed to stop spending money on the game.

Profit Motive Suspected

Many believe the trading system is designed to maximize revenue. The game reportedly generated $200 million in its first month before trading was implemented. The inability to easily trade high-rarity cards (2-Star and above) strongly suggests a deliberate attempt to incentivize further in-app purchases. One player reported spending $1,500 to complete the first set.

The current system is described as "predatory" and "greedy," with the lack of alternative ways to acquire Trade Tokens exacerbating the problem. The requirement to hold three copies of a card before discarding it further limits trading options.

Creatures Inc.'s Silence

Creatures Inc. remains silent on the intense backlash, a departure from their previous response to initial concerns. Their earlier statement, promising to "evolve in an enjoyable way," now seems disingenuous. IGN has reached out for comment but has yet to receive a response.

While adding Trade Tokens as mission rewards might alleviate some issues, it's more likely that Trade Stamina will be included in future rewards, given the precedent set by similar stamina-based rewards.

The launch of this poorly received trading mechanic casts a shadow over the upcoming update, which will introduce Diamond and Pearl Pokémon. The negative response highlights a significant disconnect between developer intentions and player expectations.