Creatures Inc., the developer behind the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, is actively working to enhance the trading feature that was introduced last week amid significant player backlash. The company released a statement on X/Twitter, expressing gratitude for player feedback and acknowledging that the trading feature, designed with anti-abuse measures in mind, has inadvertently restricted casual enjoyment.
In their statement, Creatures Inc. explained that the trading restrictions, including the introduction of Trade Tokens, were intended to prevent exploitation by bots and multiple account holders. "The item requirements and restrictions implemented for the trading feature were designed to prevent abuse from bots and other prohibited actions using multiple accounts," the company stated. "Our goal was to balance the game while maintaining a fair environment for all players and preserving the fun of collecting cards that is core to the Pokémon TCG Pocket experience."
However, the feedback from the community highlighted that these restrictions were too stringent, hindering players' ability to enjoy the feature casually. Creatures Inc. responded by saying, "However, thanks to your feedback, we understand that some of the restrictions put in place are preventing players from being able to casually enjoy the feature as intended. We are actively investigating ways to improve the feature to address these concerns. Going forward, we also plan to offer multiple ways to obtain Trade Tokens including through event distributions."
Despite this promise, the recently launched Cresselia ex Drop Event on February 3 did not include any Trade Tokens as rewards, contrary to what was suggested in the statement. This event offered players new promo cards, Pack Hourglasses, Shinedust, shop tickets, and experience, but no Trade Tokens, leaving players disappointed.
The trading feature also requires players to delete five cards from their collection to trade one card of the same rarity, a system that has been heavily criticized for its high cost. Moreover, the availability of Trade Tokens has been limited. For instance, only 200 Trade Tokens were made available as premium rewards for those subscribed to the $9.99 monthly Battle Pass, which is barely enough to trade a single 3 Diamond card, the lowest rarity requiring Trade Tokens.
Players have expressed frustration over the trading system, suspecting it's designed to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly earned $200 million in its first month before trading was implemented. The inability to trade cards of 2 Star rarity or higher further fuels this belief, as it forces players to spend real money for a chance to obtain these cards. One player reportedly spent around $1,500 to complete the first set, and the third set was released just days ago.
Community reactions have been strong, with players describing the trading mechanic as "predatory and downright greedy," "hilariously toxic," and a "monumental failure." The lack of clarity from Creatures Inc. on potential changes to the trading system and compensation for early trades adds to the ongoing dissatisfaction among the player base.
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