Pokémon TCG Pocket Dev Introduces Trade Tokens, Yet Controversial Feature Remains Unresolved

In a move to address ongoing concerns, Creatures Inc., the developer behind the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, has gifted players 1,000 Trade Tokens. This gesture, enough for just two significant trades, comes as the company continues to investigate ways to fix the controversial trading mechanic. Players logging in today will discover these tokens in their Gift menu, accompanied by a message of gratitude from Creatures Inc. on X/Twitter, thanking fans for their feedback and patience. The trading feature, which was introduced last week, sparked intense backlash with the developer being labeled as "hilariously toxic," "predatory," and "downright greedy" by the community.

The standard mechanics of Pokémon TCG Pocket already limit how often players can open packs or use Wonder Picking without spending real money, and the new trading system adds another layer of restriction with these Trade Tokens. Players have been vocal about the high cost of these tokens, which requires them to delete five cards from their collection to trade just one card of the same rarity. This has led to widespread criticism of the system's design.

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It's been eight days since the trading feature was released to a wave of criticism, though Creatures Inc. had a heads-up about fan dissatisfaction when it outlined the feature nearly three weeks prior. At the time, the company acknowledged the concerns and encouraged players to try the feature and provide feedback, leading many to hope for a more favorable implementation. However, the reality fell short of these expectations. In response, Creatures Inc. admitted that "some of the restrictions put in place are preventing players from being able to casually enjoy" trading and promised to introduce required items as rewards in upcoming events. Unfortunately, the recent Cresselia ex Drop Event on February 3 did not include these promised rewards, further frustrating the community.

Many fans believe that the trading system is designed primarily to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly earned $200 million in its first month before trading was even introduced. The inability to trade cards of 2 Star rarity or higher is seen as a strategy to encourage players to spend money on packs for a chance at obtaining these cards. For instance, one player reportedly spent around $1,500 just to complete the first set, with the third set in three months arriving last week. This situation underscores the ongoing tension between player satisfaction and the game's monetization strategies.