Pokemon TCG Pocket: Trading Feature Upgrades Amid Backlash

The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket, DeNA, have pledged to improve the game’s trading system following widespread player criticism. The backlash emerged shortly after the feature’s launch, prompting the team to acknowledge concerns and commit to meaningful updates.

Why Players Are Frustrated with the Current Trading System

Trade Tokens Are Too Costly to Acquire

The trading feature, released on January 29, 2025, was highly anticipated as a way for players to complete their Pokédex by exchanging 1–4 Diamond and 1-Star rarity cards from the Genetic Apex and Mythical Island booster packs. However, the implementation quickly drew criticism due to restrictive mechanics, the introduction of a new currency—Trade Tokens—and high associated costs.

Currently, Trade Tokens are required to initiate any trade, and they can only be obtained by sacrificing higher-rarity cards. For example, trading a 4-Diamond card (such as an ex Pokémon) requires 500 tokens. Yet, players receive only 100 tokens for a 1-Star card and 300 for 2-Star or 3-Star immersive cards—cards that are rarer than 4-Diamond ones. This imbalance forces players to sacrifice multiple rare or valuable cards just to afford a single trade, leading to frustration over the system’s inefficiency and steep cost.

In response to the growing feedback, DeNA confirmed on Twitter (X) on February 1, 2025, that they are actively exploring improvements. One upcoming change includes introducing multiple ways to earn Trade Tokens, such as through event-based distributions. For now, trading remains limited to 1-Star cards only.

DeNA also clarified the reasoning behind the strict design: "The item requirements and restrictions in the trading feature were implemented to prevent abuse from bots and prohibited multi-account activities." They emphasized their goal of maintaining a fair and balanced environment, preserving the core joy of card collecting that defines the Pokémon TCG Pocket experience.

While no further updates have been detailed yet, the development team appears to be carefully evaluating potential exploits before rolling out changes.

Genetic Apex Booster Pack Visibility Issue Sparks Concern

Another point of contention arose with the release of the Space-Time Smackdown booster pack on January 29, 2025. Players took to Reddit expressing concern that the original Genetic Apex booster pack had disappeared from the main screen, which now only displays Mythical Island and Space-Time Smackdown.

However, this is not a removal but a visibility issue. The Genetic Apex pack is still accessible via the "Select other booster packs" option in the bottom-right corner of the pack selection screen. Due to the small, easily overlooked text, many players assumed the first set was gone for good.

While this may stem from UI design limitations, some players suspect it's a deliberate move to push engagement with the newest release. From a marketing standpoint, highlighting new content makes sense—but not all players have finished collecting from Genetic Apex. As such, fans have suggested that DeNA update the home screen to display all three available booster packs simultaneously, reducing confusion and ensuring equal access.

DeNA has not yet addressed this specific concern. In the meantime, players can rest assured that Genetic Apex remains fully available—simply navigate to the pack selection menu to continue collecting using time and hourglasses.