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, the player base is erupting in frustration. The trading mechanic, already criticized for its restrictions last week, has launched to an even more negative reception due to unexpectedly high requirements.

Players are voicing their anger on social media, citing excessive demands and limitations. While the restrictions were disclosed beforehand, the sheer number of resources needed for each trade was downplayed with the vague statement "items must be consumed in order to trade."

Unlike the Wonder Pick or booster pack openings, trading demands two distinct consumable items per transaction. The first is Trade Stamina, which regenerates over time or can be purchased with Poké Gold (real money).

Trade Tokens: The Real Problem

The second item, and the primary source of outrage, is the Trade Token. Trading cards of 3 Diamonds or higher requires a significant number of these tokens: 120 for a 3 Diamond card, 400 for a 1 Star card, and a whopping 500 for a 4 Diamond (ex Pokémon) card.

Trade Tokens are obtained solely by 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 token acquisition.

This system necessitates selling multiple high-value cards to trade even a single card of similar or lesser value. For example, trading one ex Pokémon requires selling five, and selling a single Crown card (the rarest in the game) only provides enough tokens for three ex Pokémon trades. Even selling a 3 Star immersive art card—a key selling point of the game—doesn't provide enough tokens to trade a 1 Star or 4 Diamond card.

"A Monumental Failure"

Reddit threads are ablaze with criticism. Users describe the trading update as "an insult," "hilariously toxic," and "a monumental failure." Many players, like hurtbowler, are vowing to stop spending money on the game, citing the excessive greed. The sheer time investment required to acquire tokens, with each exchange taking approximately 15 seconds, adds insult to injury. Players are forced to spend minutes navigating menus for a single trade.

Comments echo the sentiment: "The trading system is predatory and downright greedy," writes ACNL, highlighting the unsustainable token acquisition methods. The inability to trade cards of 2 Star rarity or higher without substantial investment further fuels the outrage. One player reports spending approximately $1,500 to complete the first set.

Creatures Inc.'s Silence

Creatures Inc. remains silent on the overwhelmingly negative feedback, a stark contrast to their previous response to initial concerns. While they previously stated, "Your concerns are seen," their inaction following the update's disastrous launch speaks volumes. IGN has reached out for comment, but as of yet, there's been no response regarding potential changes.

Some users suggest incorporating Trade Tokens as mission rewards to alleviate the issue. However, given the current reward system primarily focuses on Trade Stamina and similar resources, this seems unlikely.

The launch of this poorly received trading mechanic casts a long shadow over the upcoming Diamond and Pearl update, introducing Pokémon like Dialga and Palkia. The negative player reaction significantly dampens the excitement surrounding this anticipated content.