The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket have finally unveiled significant enhancements to the game's much-criticized trading system, which has been a source of frustration since its launch. The proposed changes are promising, but players will need to exercise patience as implementation is slated for the future.
In a detailed post on the Pokémon community forums, the developers outlined the upcoming modifications:
Removal of Trade Tokens
Trade tokens will be entirely phased out, eliminating the need for players to sacrifice cards to acquire trading currency. Instead, trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity will now require shinedust. This resource is automatically earned when you open a booster pack and obtain a card already registered in your Card Dex. Given that shinedust is also used to obtain flair, the developers are considering increasing its availability to support trading activities. This adjustment should enable more frequent card trading than before. Existing trade tokens will be converted to shinedust upon removal from the game. The trading method for one-diamond and two-diamond rarity cards remains unchanged.
Additional Updates in Development
A new feature will allow players to share cards they're interested in trading through the in-game trading function. This is a significant shift from the current system, which relies on trade tokens—a currency specifically designed for trading but obtained by discarding owned cards. The process has been cumbersome; for instance, trading one ex Pokémon card requires sacrificing five other ex cards to gather enough trade tokens. Despite some additional methods to earn trade tokens, the system has been largely discouraging.
The new system using shinedust is more user-friendly. Shinedust, already used for purchasing "flairs" to enhance card animations during matches, is earned from duplicate cards and various in-game events. Most players likely have a surplus of shinedust, and the developers are exploring ways to increase its availability to facilitate smoother trading.
Implementing a cost for trading is crucial to prevent exploitation, such as creating multiple accounts to trade rare cards to a main account. The trade token system, however, was excessively costly, deterring many players.
Another major improvement is the ability to share desired trade cards. Currently, players can list cards for trade but cannot specify what they want in return without external communication. This limitation has stifled trading with strangers. The new feature will allow players to indicate their trade interests, fostering more meaningful and effective exchanges.
The community has responded positively to these proposed changes, though there's a significant downside: players have already discarded many rare cards to accumulate trade tokens, and those cards are irretrievable. While existing trade tokens will convert to shinedust, the loss of rare cards remains a sore point.
Unfortunately, these improvements won't be implemented until the fall of this year, according to the blog post. In the interim, trading may come to a standstill as players are reluctant to sacrifice rare cards with a better system on the horizon. Several more expansions may pass before the "trading" in "Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket" truly flourishes.
In the meantime, it's wise to save your shinedust!
