Image: The Pokemon Company
Pokemon TCG’s trading feature has not been a hit among fans.
Almost a week after Pokemon TCG Pocket’s big trading update, developers Creatures Inc. and DeNA have admitted that the feature might need a rework. The mobile game added a feature allowing players to trade cards with each other on 28 January, 2025, but the update was almost immediately criticised as predatory and overly grindy.
Improvements are coming to Pokemon TCG Pocket’s problematic trading feature
Trading cards is a key element of the physical Pokemon Trading Card Game, so it stands to reason that players were excited to see this mechanic replicated in the game’s recently-released mobile version too. After confirming that the feature was coming at launch, Creatures Inc. and DeNA finally released an update enabling in-game card trades last week.
Unfortunately, the update did go down well among the playerbase. Players noted that the game’s trading felt overly limited and time-gated, due to the required use of newly-implemented Trade Tokens. These tokens can be obtained by trashing any duplicate cards players might have in their collection. A slowly-refilling well of Trade Stamina is also required to make a trade on top of the tokens.
That’s not all, though. Restrictions have been placed on the cards players are able to trade, and unlike in real life, players cannot request a specific card that they want to trade for. Additionally, getting ahold of Trade Tokens is its own grind. Players have to trash up to five cards to get enough Trade Tokens for a trade of equal rarity, which requires them to have a bulk collection of duplicates on hand.
Naturally, players revolted against these trading mechanics, which were perceived to be predatory at best. Creatures Inc. and DeNA responded with a vague statement that explained why it was so restrictive:
The item requirements and restrictions implemented for the trading feature were designed to prevent abuse from bots and other prohibited actions using multiple accounts. Our goal was to balance the game while maintaining a fair environment for all players and preserving the fun of collecting cards that is core to the Pokémon TCG Pocket experience.
The developers then noted that in-game trading would be improved, and Trade Tokens would be more freely available through future in-game events:
However, thanks to your feedback, we understand that some of the restrictions put in place are preventing players from being able to casually enjoy the feature as intended. We are actively investigating ways to improve the feature to address these concerns. Going forward, we also plan to offer multiple ways to obtain Trade Tokens including through event distributions.
None of these supposed changes have been implemented as of now, so players will have to bide their time before trading becomes worth their while in Pokemon TCG Pocket.