Pokémon TCG Pocket Confirms Changes to Much-Loathed Trading System Are Coming... Eventually

The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket have finally unveiled significant enhancements to the game's trading system, which has been a source of frustration for players since its launch. The announced improvements promise a more user-friendly experience, although implementation will take some time.

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

Removal of Trade Tokens

• Trade Token Elimination: Trade tokens will be entirely removed, eliminating the need to sacrifice cards for trading currency.
• Introduction of Shinedust for Trading: Trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarities will now require shinedust. This currency is automatically earned when you open a booster pack and receive a card already registered in your Card Dex.
• Shinedust Allocation: Since shinedust is also used for obtaining flair, the developers are considering increasing the amount available to players to facilitate trading.
• Conversion of Existing Tokens: Current trade tokens will be converted to shinedust once the update is implemented.
• No Change for Lower Rarity Cards: The trading method for one-diamond and two-diamond rarity cards remains unchanged.

Additional Updates in Development

• Card Sharing Feature: A new feature will allow players to share cards they're interested in trading for through the in-game trading system.

The current trade token system has been widely criticized. To trade cards, players had to discard other valuable cards to accumulate enough tokens, making the process cumbersome and discouraging. The new system using shinedust, which players already earn from duplicate cards and other in-game activities, is a significant improvement. The developers are also exploring ways to increase shinedust availability to ensure smooth trading.

Moreover, imposing a cost on trading is crucial to prevent exploitation, such as creating multiple accounts to transfer rare cards to a main account. The shinedust system strikes a better balance than the trade token method.

Another major change is the ability to share desired trade cards in-game. Currently, without this feature, players must communicate outside the game, limiting trades to friends or leaving others to guess suitable trades. This new feature will facilitate more meaningful and efficient trading among all players.

The community has responded positively to these changes, though the loss of rare cards previously sacrificed for trade tokens remains a concern. While existing trade tokens will convert to shinedust, the lost cards are irreplaceable.

However, there's a catch: these updates won't be implemented until the fall of this year. In the interim, trading activity may decline significantly, as players are unlikely to continue using the flawed current system with better options on the horizon. Several more expansions are expected before the trading function in Pokémon TCG Pocket truly flourishes.

In the meantime, players are encouraged to save their shinedust for the upcoming changes.