The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket have announced significant updates to the game's much-criticized trading system, which has been problematic since its launch. These updates are set to bring substantial improvements, although players will need to wait several months for their implementation.
In a detailed post on the Pokémon community forums, the developers outlined the following changes:
Removal of Trade Tokens
- Trade Tokens Elimination: The current trading currency, Trade Tokens, will be completely removed. Players will no longer need to sacrifice cards to acquire this currency for trading.
- Introduction of Shinedust: Trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity will now require shinedust instead. Shinedust is earned automatically when opening booster packs and obtaining duplicate cards already registered in the Card Dex.
- Shinedust Increase: Given that shinedust is also used to obtain flairs, the developers plan to increase the amount available to players to facilitate trading.
- Trade Token Conversion: Existing Trade Tokens will be converted to shinedust once they are phased out of the game.
- No Changes for Lower Rarities: The trading mechanics for one-diamond and two-diamond rarity cards will remain unchanged.
Additional Updates in Development
- Card Sharing Feature: A new feature will allow players to share cards they are interested in trading through the in-game trading system, making it easier to find suitable trade partners.
The current Trade Token system has been a significant barrier to trading, requiring players to discard multiple rare cards just to acquire enough tokens to make a single trade. This system has discouraged many players from engaging with the trading function altogether.
The new system utilizing shinedust is a marked improvement. Shinedust is already an in-game currency used for purchasing flairs—animations that enhance card appearances during matches. Players earn shinedust by acquiring duplicate cards, and additional shinedust can be obtained through various in-game events. This should make trading more accessible and less costly, as most players likely have surplus shinedust.
It's important to note that some form of trading cost is necessary to prevent exploitation, such as creating multiple accounts to farm rare cards and trade them to a main account. The Trade Token system was simply too restrictive, but shinedust offers a more balanced approach.
The upcoming feature allowing players to share desired trade cards will also be a game-changer. Currently, there's no way to communicate trade preferences within the game, leading to inefficient and often fruitless trading attempts. This new feature should facilitate more meaningful and successful trades.
The community has responded positively to these proposed changes, although there is frustration over the cards already lost to the Trade Token system. While existing Trade Tokens will convert to shinedust, the rare cards sacrificed for them are irretrievable.
Unfortunately, players will have to wait until the fall of this year for these updates to take effect. In the interim, trading activity is likely to decline further, as players will be reluctant to use the current system knowing a better solution is on the horizon. Several more expansions may come and go before the trading system in Pokémon TCG Pocket truly flourishes.
In the meantime, players are encouraged to save their shinedust in preparation for the new trading system.
