Pokemon TCG Pocket Enhances Trading After Criticism

Pokemon TCG Pocket developer DeNA has pledged to improve the game's controversial trading feature following player criticism. Discover why collectors expressed frustration with the current trading mechanics.

Player Outcry Over Pokemon TCG Pocket's Latest Update

The Costly Reality of Trade Tokens

The trading system launched January 29, 2025 sparked immediate backlash, leading DeNA to announce upcoming changes in a February 1 Twitter statement. While allowing trades of 1-4 Diamond and 1-Star rarity cards from Genetic Apex and Mythical Island packs, restrictive mechanics involving limited card selection, new currency, and steep costs frustrated players.

DeNA acknowledged complaints, stating they're "exploring improvements to address concerns." Current plans include introducing additional methods to earn trade tokens beyond just sacrificing rarer cards. Currently, burning coveted 4-Diamond cards (500 tokens) demands surrendering multiple valuable cards (100 tokens per 1-Star, 300 per 2-3 Star Immersive).

Defending their approach, DeNA explained: "These restrictions prevent bot abuse and multi-account exploitation while preserving collection enjoyment." While further adjustments remain unspecified, developers are likely analyzing potential exploits before rolling out updates.

Booster Pack Visibility Concerns

Additional complaints emerged following the January 29 Space-Time Smackdown release, with Reddit users noticing Genetic Apex packs weren't visibly featured on the home screen alongside new releases. However, players can access all sets via a small "Select other booster packs" option in the bottom right corner.

While potentially an unintentional UI oversight, some players suspect deliberate marketing tactics to promote new sets. Suggestions include prominently displaying all three available booster sets to prevent confusion among collectors still completing Genetic Apex collections.