Pokémon TCG Pocket Devs Looking to Improve Trading Following Major Player Backlash

Pokémon TCG Pocket's trading feature, launched last week, has faced significant player backlash, prompting developer Creatures Inc. to address concerns. In a statement on X/Twitter, Creatures Inc. acknowledged the negative feedback, explaining the initial restrictions were intended to prevent bot abuse and maintain a fair playing environment. However, they admitted these restrictions inadvertently hindered casual enjoyment of the trading feature.

The developer promised to improve the system by offering Trade Tokens—currently a highly criticized, expensive resource required for trading—as rewards in future events. However, this promise was immediately broken, as the February 3rd Cresselia ex Drop Event did not include any Trade Tokens.

The trading system, already criticized for its pay-to-win elements (restricting pack openings and Wonder Picking without in-app purchases), further ignited controversy with the introduction of Trade Tokens. Players found the cost of obtaining these tokens excessively high, requiring the deletion of five cards of equal rarity to trade one.

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Creatures Inc. stated that the restrictions were designed to combat bot activity and multi-account abuse. While aiming for a balanced and fair game, they acknowledged the negative impact on player experience. They pledged to investigate improvements but provided no specifics regarding the nature or timing of these changes.

The statement left several questions unanswered, including whether existing trades will be refunded or compensated for if changes are made to Trade Token acquisition. The limited availability of Trade Tokens (only 200 offered as premium Battle Pass rewards) further fuels concerns about the feature's revenue-generating intent. The absence of Trade Tokens in the recent Cresselia ex event directly contradicts their stated plan.

Players have openly accused the trading mechanic of being predatory and excessively monetized, particularly given the game's estimated $200 million revenue in its first month, before the trading feature's release. The inability to trade cards of 2-star rarity or higher further reinforces these accusations, as it forces players to spend significant sums for a chance to obtain rarer cards. One player reported spending approximately $1,500 to complete a single set. The community's strong negative reaction describes the trading system as "predatory and downright greedy," "hilariously toxic," and a "monumental failure."