Creatures Inc., the developer of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, has addressed player concerns regarding the recently implemented trading mechanic by gifting players 1,000 Trade Tokens. This is enough for only two substantial trades. The developer is actively investigating improvements to the system.
Players logging in will find the tokens in their Gift menu without any accompanying message. However, Creatures Inc. issued a statement on X/Twitter expressing gratitude for player feedback and patience. The initial introduction of trading last week drew significant criticism, with the mechanic being described as "hilariously toxic," "predatory," and "downright greedy" by some players.
The trading system, like other aspects of Pokémon TCG Pocket, incorporates restrictions limiting pack openings, Wonder Picking, and now trading, unless real-world money is spent. The high cost of acquiring Trade Tokens – requiring the deletion of five cards to trade one of similar rarity – was a major point of contention.
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The negative response to the trading feature, which followed a preview almost three weeks prior, prompted Creatures Inc. to acknowledge that "some of the restrictions…are preventing players from being able to casually enjoy" trading. The developer pledged to address these issues by offering necessary items as rewards in future events. However, the recent Cresselia ex Drop Event (released February 3rd) failed to deliver on this promise.
Many players suspect the trading system is designed to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly generated $200 million in its first month, before trading was implemented. This suspicion is fueled by the inability to trade cards of 2-Star rarity or higher, a restriction that seemingly forces players to spend significant sums ($10, $100, or more) on packs for a chance at obtaining rare cards. One player reported spending approximately $1,500 to complete the first set.
