Pokémon TCG Pocket Dev Introduces Trade Tokens, Yet Silent on Controversial Feature Fix

Creatures Inc., the developer behind Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, has responded to player feedback by gifting 1,000 Trade Tokens to all players. This amount is sufficient for only two significant trades, as the company continues to explore solutions to improve the contentious trading mechanic. Upon logging in today, players will find these tokens in their Gift menu, though no accompanying message was provided. Creatures Inc. took to X/Twitter to express gratitude for the community's feedback and patience. The introduction of trading last week sparked intense criticism, with players labeling the developer as "hilariously toxic," "predatory," and "downright greedy."

The standard mechanics of Pokémon TCG Pocket already limit how many packs players can open, how often they can use Wonder Picking, and now, how much they can trade without spending real money. The new trading feature introduced an additional layer of restriction through these Trade Tokens. Players have voiced frustration over the high cost of acquiring these tokens, which requires them to discard five cards from their collection to trade one card of the same rarity.

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It's been eight days since trading was rolled out amidst significant backlash. Creatures Inc. had previously hinted at potential issues nearly three weeks before the feature's launch, acknowledging that "Your concerns are seen." They encouraged players to try the feature and share their feedback, leading many to hope for a more favorable outcome. Unfortunately, the reality didn't meet those expectations. In response, Creatures Inc. admitted that "some of the restrictions put in place are preventing players from being able to casually enjoy" trading.

The company promised to address these concerns by offering required items as rewards in future events. However, the recent Cresselia ex Drop Event, which began on February 3, did not include any such rewards, disappointing fans further. Many believe that the trading system is designed primarily to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly earned $200 million in its first month before trading was even available.

This belief is supported by the restriction on trading cards of 2 Star rarity or higher. If players could easily trade for the cards they need, they wouldn't be compelled to spend significant sums, such as $10 or even $100, for a chance to obtain them through random packs. One player, for instance, spent approximately $1,500 just to complete the first set, while the third set in three months was released last week.