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

Social media is ablaze with complaints about the excessive demands and limitations. While the restrictions were disclosed earlier, the sheer number of resources needed for each trade was deliberately obscured under the vague statement, "items must be consumed in order to trade."

Unlike Wonder Pick or booster pack openings, trading necessitates two distinct consumable items. First is Trade Stamina, which replenishes over time or can be purchased with Poké Gold (real money).

Found a picture of the devs after the trade update!
byu/marcola42 inPTCGP

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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 earned only by discarding cards from your collection. The exchange rates are heavily weighted 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 trading purposes.

This system forces players into an unfavorable trade-off. For example, trading a single ex Pokémon demands selling five others, or five 1-Star cards to trade one. Even selling a Crown rarity card, the rarest in the game, only provides enough tokens for three ex Pokémon trades. Selling a 3-Star immersive art card—a key selling point of the game—doesn't even yield enough tokens to trade a single 1-Star or 4-Diamond card.

'A Monumental Failure'

Reddit is overflowing with scathing criticism. Posts like hurtbowler's (over 1,000 upvotes) declare the update an "insult" and a display of "excessive greed," with players vowing to quit spending money on the game. Comments echo the sentiment, highlighting the absurdity of the system and its detrimental effect on community interaction. Many describe the update as "hilariously toxic" and a "monumental failure," lamenting the loss of a "safe way for the community to connect." The 15-second exchange time for tokens further compounds the frustration, turning simple trades into drawn-out processes.

what a joke of a trading system
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Pay Day

The community overwhelmingly believes the trading system is designed to maximize revenue. Pokémon TCG Pocket reportedly generated $200 million in its first month before trading was implemented. The inability to easily trade higher-rarity cards (2-Star and above) further fuels this suspicion. If free trading were possible, players wouldn't need to spend significant sums on packs hoping to acquire missing cards. One player reports spending approximately $1,500 to complete the first set.

Reddit user ACNL calls the system "predatory and downright greedy," detailing the unfavorable token conversion rates and the lack of alternative ways to obtain tokens. The need to possess three copies of a card before discarding it adds another layer of frustration.

Finally Trade is here.... wait What?
byu/Tidus1117 inPTCGP

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Creatures Inc. Stays Quiet

Creatures Inc. remains silent amidst the uproar, a departure from their previous response to initial concerns. Their earlier statement, promising to "evolve in an enjoyable way for everyone," now rings hollow. IGN has reached out for comment, seeking clarification on the negative reception and the possibility of future changes.

Adding Trade Tokens as mission rewards, as suggested by some players, could potentially alleviate some concerns. However, given the current reward system which focuses on Stamina-related items, this seems unlikely.

The poorly received trading update casts a long shadow over the upcoming Diamond and Pearl update, introducing Pokémon like Dialga and Palkia. The negative reaction threatens to overshadow the excitement surrounding the new content.