Pokémon TCG Pocket Update: Trading Feature Coming This Autumn

The launch of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket was met with excitement, but it quickly encountered a significant challenge with its trading system. Initially, the trading feature was criticized for being overly restrictive and requiring hard-to-obtain currency, but a new update aims to address these issues.

The most notable change is the complete removal of Trade Tokens. Now, you won't need to exchange cards to acquire the currency needed for trading. Instead, trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity will require Shinedust. This new currency is earned when you open a booster pack and receive a card that's already registered in your Card Dex.

If you currently hold Trade Tokens, don't worry—they can be converted to Shinedust. Since Shinedust is also needed to obtain flair, further changes are planned for this currency. Additionally, an upcoming update will introduce a feature allowing you to share cards you're interested in trading directly within the game.

As previously mentioned, the initial implementation of trading felt half-hearted. The digital ecosystem necessitates more restrictions than real-life trading to prevent abuse, which has been a core issue. While these updates are a step in the right direction, they won't be implemented until autumn at the earliest, leaving us in spring with a sense that the development team is moving slower than many would like.

If you're hesitant to dive back into Pokémon TCG Pocket just yet, consider exploring some of the new mobile games we've highlighted in our latest feature on the top five new mobile games to try this week.