Pokémon TCG Pocket's highly anticipated trading update has arrived, but instead of celebration, the player base is erupting in frustration. The trading mechanic, already criticized last week for its restrictions, has launched to an even more negative reception due to unexpectedly high requirements.
Social media is ablaze with complaints about the excessive demands and limitations. While the restrictions were disclosed previously, the sheer number of items needed for each trade was initially obscured by the vague statement, "items must be consumed in order to trade."
Unlike opening booster packs or using Wonder Pick, trading necessitates two distinct consumable items. First, players need Trade Stamina, which regenerates over time or can be purchased with Poké Gold (real money).
Trade Tokens: The Source of Contention
The real uproar, however, centers around Trade Tokens. These are mandatory for trading any card of 3 Diamonds or higher. Trading a 3 Diamond card requires 120 Tokens, a 1 Star card needs 400, and a 4 Diamond (ex Pokémon) demands a whopping 500.
The only way to acquire Trade Tokens is by essentially discarding cards from your collection. The exchange rates are heavily skewed against the player: a 3 Diamond card yields 25 Tokens, a 1 Star card 100, a 4 Diamond card 125, a 2 Star card 300, a 3 Star immersive card 300, and a Crown gold card 1500. Lower rarity cards are worthless for this purpose.
This system means players must sacrifice multiple valuable cards to trade even a single high-rarity card. For example, trading one ex Pokémon requires selling five, and a single Crown card (the rarest) only provides enough Tokens for three ex Pokémon trades. Even selling a 3 Star immersive art card—a key selling point of the game itself—doesn't provide enough Tokens to trade a 1 Star or 4 Diamond card.
"A Monumental Failure"
Reddit threads are overflowing with angry posts, with many players calling the update "an insult," "hilariously toxic," and a "monumental failure." One player, hurtbowler, vowed to stop spending money on the game, their post garnering over 1,000 upvotes. The sentiment is widespread: the trading system is deemed too laborious and detrimental to the community's ability to connect. The 15-second exchange time for Tokens further exacerbates the frustration.
Many believe the trading system is designed to boost revenue. With the game already estimated to have earned $200 million in its first month, the restrictions on trading higher-rarity cards seem designed to incentivize players to purchase more packs. One player reported spending approximately $1,500 to complete the first set.
The inability to trade multiple copies of the same card without owning at least three adds another layer of frustration to an already criticized system. The high costs and limited methods of obtaining Trade Tokens are widely condemned as unsustainable and predatory.
Creatures Inc.'s Silence
Creatures Inc. has remained silent on the overwhelmingly negative feedback, despite addressing initial concerns last week with a promise to gather player feedback. IGN has reached out to the developer for comment, but a response is pending.
Some players suggest adding Trade Tokens as mission rewards could alleviate the issues. However, given the current reward structure, which favors Trade Stamina and similar items, this seems unlikely.
The launch of this poorly received trading mechanic casts a shadow over the upcoming Diamond and Pearl update, which will introduce highly anticipated Pokémon like Dialga and Palkia. The negative reception is a significant setback for the game.
