Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket's latest event shows that developers are listening to fan complaints about trading. Last month, fans reacted strongly to the rollout of Pokémon TCG Pocket's trading feature, largely due to the onerous restrictions placed on what cards players could trade and the cost needed to trade them. The game's developers quickly released a statement that they were listening to feedback about the new system, although they presented new solutions to the problem.
Pokémon TCG Pocket has now launched a new Wonder Pick event featuring new Togepi and Chimchar promo cards. The Wonder Pick event itself isn't particularly notable, featuring the same sort of accessories, promo cards, and format as past Wonder Pick events. However, the addition of trade tokens as mission prizes shows that developers are listening to fans and trying to facilitate easier trades for players. This is good news for Pokémon TCG Pocket fans looking to trade now and shows how quickly developers can take action in light of fan complaints.
Trading In Pokémon TCG Pocket Has Some Major Flaws
Trading Has Too Many Barriers That Stop Players From Actually Using It
When trading rolled out in January, it required two different types of new currencies. The first currency is Trade Stamina, which automatically refills over time. The purpose of Trade Stamina is to limit the number of trades a player can make over a given time period. The second currency is Trade Tokens, which is spent when trading cards of 3-Diamond rarity or higher. This functionally is the "cost" of trading, a currency designed to limit the types of trades players can make.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has launched a new set, which means more secret missions for players to discover and complete by collecting cards.
The major issue with trading is the manner in which players could collect trade tokens. The main method is to exchange extra high-rarity cards for trade tokens. While players receive 125 trade tokens for exchanging a 4-diamond card, it costs 500 trade tokens to trade a 4-diamond card. Based on this exchange rate, players functionally need to exchange four high-rarity cards to make a single trade for a card of the same rarity. Coupled with the actual card needed to make the trade, players have to get rid of five cards from their collection to receive one card.
February 2025's Wonder Pick Event Ups Trade Token Rewards
Developers Increased The Number Of Trade Tokens Given Out In Missions
As with other events,a datamine of the update revealed the original missions and rewards. The original intent for the Wonder Trade event was to include a small amount of Trade Tokens - datamined rewards included mission rewards of 10 or 16 trade tokens for rewards on various missions. However, these rewards were changed at launch, with the "Complete 3 Wonder Trade" mission now rewarding 100 trade tokens.
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Considering that the Wonder Pick event periodically gives players bonus Wonder Picks with no Wonder stamina cost, these 100 trade tokens are essentially free for players. While those trade tokens aren't enough to make a high-rarity trade, they are a sign that Pokémon TCG Pocket is looking for ways to provide players with more resources for trading. Considering the high cost of trade tokens was highly criticized, providing a steady stream of trade tokens should help soothe some complaints.
New Wonder Pick Events Is A Great Sign For TCG Pocket
While The Change Itself Is Simple, It Demonstrates A Willingness To Listen And Respond To Fans
At the outset, the change in Wonder Pick mission rewards isn't that significant. As mentioned before, the amount of trade tokens isn't enough to make a single trade. However, developers decided to give out significantly more trade tokens to players than they originally intended, which means that they are clearly looking for ways to provide players with what they are asking for. 100 trade tokens might not seem like much, but small rewards add up, especially if they're being delivered to players on a regular basis.
Keeping Pokémon TCG Pocket's biggest fans appeased is one of the best ways to ensure a long life for the game.
More importantly, this change shows that Pokémon TCG Pocket developers are listening to the playerbase. While the game has a lot of goodwill thanks to the popularity of the Pokémon franchise, the botched trading rollout demonstrates the limits of that goodwill. To keep the momentum of the game moving, Pokémon TCG Pocket needed to show that it understands the playerbase's desires and can respond accordingly. Providing updates of this nature is a big first step in establishing that trust between developer and players.
Ironically, the app's datamine actually helped Pokémon TCG Pocket in this case, as it showed the changes being made quickly. Most fans might never know that the Wonder Pick rewards were adjusted ahead of the event's launch, but the hardcore players will. Keeping Pokémon TCG Pocket's biggest fans appeased is one of the best ways to ensure a long life for the game, as players are more likely to keep logging in (and spending money) for a game that they feel they have an active part of.
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