Pokémon TCG Pocket Announces Upcoming Changes to Trading System

The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket have recently shared exciting updates about major enhancements to the game's much-criticized trading system, which has been a source of frustration for players since its launch. While the announced improvements promise a significantly better experience, they won't be implemented until later this year.

In a detailed post on the Pokémon community forums, the developers outlined the upcoming changes:

Removal of Trade Tokens

• Trade tokens will be completely phased out, eliminating the need for players to sacrifice cards to gain trading currency.
• Trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity will now require shinedust.
• Shinedust is automatically earned when players open a booster pack and obtain a card already registered in their Card Dex.
• Given that shinedust is also used to obtain flair, the developers are considering increasing its availability to accommodate its new role in trading.
• This change is expected to enable more frequent trading than was possible under the old system.
• Existing trade tokens will be converted to shinedust upon the removal of the item from the game.
• Trading for one-diamond and two-diamond rarity cards will remain unchanged.

Additional Updates in Development

• A new feature will allow players to share their desired trade cards via the in-game trading function.

The current trade token system has been a significant barrier to enjoyable trading. Players had to destroy multiple rare cards just to gather enough tokens for a single trade, making the process cumbersome and discouraging.

The new system, utilizing shinedust, promises a more seamless experience. Shinedust is already part of the game, used for purchasing flairs—animations that enhance cards during matches. Players earn it automatically from duplicate cards and through various in-game events. The developers plan to increase shinedust availability to ensure smoother trading, especially since many players likely have surplus shinedust if they're not focused on collecting flairs.

Implementing a trading cost is crucial to prevent exploitation, such as creating multiple accounts to farm rare cards and trade them to main accounts. However, the old trade token system was excessively costly, deterring most players from engaging with it.

The ability to share desired trade cards will revolutionize how players interact within the trading system. Currently, there’s no in-game way to communicate desired trades, leading to guesswork and reduced trading activity. With this feature, players can make informed offers, boosting the system's overall effectiveness and encouraging more trades with strangers.

The Pokémon TCG Pocket community has responded positively to these announcements, appreciating the thoughtful approach to improving the trading experience. However, there's a significant downside: players who have already sacrificed rare cards for trade tokens will not recover those losses, despite the conversion of existing tokens to shinedust.

Moreover, players will need to wait until the fall of this year for these changes to take effect. In the interim, trading activity may decline further as players hold off on using the current, flawed system in anticipation of the new, improved one. This delay means several more expansions may pass before the trading aspect of Pokémon TCG Pocket truly flourishes.

In the meantime, it's wise for players to start saving their shinedust!