Changes Coming to Pokemon TCG Pocket Trading System
Despite the popularity of Pokemon TCG Pocket, some recent changes to the trading system were met with criticism from players. In response to feedback, developers Creatures Inc. and DeNA have announced that they will be making adjustments to address player concerns.
According to an announcement on Pokemon’s official site, trade tokens will be phased out of the game by this fall. The new currency, shinedust, will replace trade tokens for card exchanges. Any remaining trade tokens will be converted to shinedust for players.
Shinedust will specifically be used for trading cards of certain rarities, such as those with three-diamond, four-diamond, or one-star ratings. While the exact costs in shinedust were not disclosed, players will earn shinedust automatically when they obtain a duplicate card for their Card Dex. To ensure a smoother trading process, developers are considering increasing the amount of shinedust awarded to players.
Future updates to the in-game trading function will allow players to specify which cards they are looking to trade for, streamlining the process. Additionally, developers are exploring options for allowing trades of currently non-tradable cards, like promo cards and two-star rarity cards.
The Triumphant Light expansion for Pokemon TCG Pocket launched in February, coinciding with the game surpassing 100 million downloads. Meanwhile, the recent acquisition of Niantic’s gaming division by Scopely for $3.5 billion will not impact plans for Pokemon Go Fest events in various locations this summer. As anticipation builds for the upcoming Pokemon Switch game, Pokemon Legends Z-A, a sneak peek at some starter Pokemon has been revealed ahead of its scheduled release later this year.