Creatures Inc., the developer behind Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, has recently distributed 1,000 Trade Tokens to players, sufficient for only two significant trades. This move comes as the company continues to explore solutions to address the contentious trading mechanics within the game. Upon logging in today, players will discover these Trade Tokens in their Gift menu, albeit without any accompanying message. However, Creatures Inc. expressed gratitude on X/Twitter for the community's feedback and patience. The introduction of trading last week sparked widespread criticism, with the developer being labeled as "hilariously toxic," "predatory," and "downright greedy."
In addition to the existing restrictions in Pokémon TCG Pocket, such as limits on opening packs and Wonder Picking, the trading feature introduced yet another layer of restriction through these Trade Tokens. Players voiced their discontent over the steep cost of acquiring these tokens, which required them to remove five cards from their collection to trade just one card of the same rarity.
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It has been eight days since the trading feature was rolled out, met with significant backlash. Creatures Inc. had previously hinted at the feature nearly three weeks ago, acknowledging fan concerns and inviting feedback upon its release. Despite assurances that the feature would be well-received, the reality fell short of expectations. In response, Creatures Inc. admitted that "some of the restrictions put in place are preventing players from being able to casually enjoy" trading.
The developer promised to address these complaints by introducing required items as rewards in upcoming events. However, the recent Cresselia ex Drop Event, launched on February 3, did not include any such rewards, further disappointing fans. Many 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.
This suspicion is reinforced by the restriction on trading cards of 2 Star rarity or higher. If players could freely trade for these cards, they would not need to spend significant amounts, such as $10 or even $100, on random chances to obtain them. One player reportedly spent around $1,500 just to complete the first set, with the third set arriving last week, highlighting the financial burden placed on players.
