Pokémon TCG Pocket to Revamp Trading System: Changes Confirmed

The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket have finally shed light on the much-needed improvements to the game's trading system, which has been a point of frustration for players since its launch. The proposed changes sound promising, but the implementation timeline is disappointingly long.

In a detailed post on the Pokémon community forums, the developers outlined the upcoming changes:

Removal of Trade Tokens

Trade tokens will be completely phased out, eliminating the need to sacrifice cards to acquire trading currency.
Trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity will now require shinedust.
Shinedust will be earned automatically when you open a booster pack and receive a card already registered in your Card Dex.
Since shinedust is also used for obtaining flair, the developers are considering increasing the amount available to accommodate its new role in trading.
This change should enable more frequent trading than was possible under the old system.
Existing trade tokens will be converted to shinedust upon removal from the game.
Trading of one-diamond and two-diamond rarity cards will remain unchanged.

Additional Updates in Development

A new feature will allow players to share cards they're interested in trading within the in-game trading function.

The current trade token system has been a significant barrier to trading. To trade even a single ex Pokémon card, players had to discard five other ex cards to accumulate enough trade tokens. This cumbersome process discouraged many from engaging with the trading system at all.

The new system, utilizing shinedust, is a significant improvement. Shinedust, already used for purchasing flairs, is earned automatically from duplicate cards and through various in-game events. Most players likely have a surplus of shinedust, and the developers are exploring ways to increase its availability to facilitate more trades.

It's crucial for TCG Pocket to maintain some trading cost to prevent exploitation, such as creating multiple accounts to trade rare cards to a main account. The trade token system was simply too costly for most players.

The ability to share desired trade cards will revolutionize the trading experience. Currently, players can list cards for trade but have no way to communicate their desired trades in-game, leading to guesswork and limited trading with strangers. This new feature will enable more targeted and effective trading.

The community has responded positively to these changes, though there's a significant downside: players who have already sacrificed rare cards to obtain trade tokens cannot recover those cards, even though their tokens will convert to shinedust.

However, the implementation of these changes is slated for the fall, leaving players to endure the current system for months. This delay may cause trading to stagnate further, as players are reluctant to use the existing system knowing a better solution is on the horizon. Several expansions may come and go before the trading aspect of "Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket" truly flourishes.

In the meantime, players are advised to save their shinedust for the upcoming changes.