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 for the game's controversial trading mechanic. Players who logged in today discovered these tokens in their Gift menu, and although no accompanying message was provided, Creatures Inc. took to X/Twitter to express gratitude for the community's feedback and patience. The trading feature, introduced last week, sparked intense criticism, with the developer being labeled "hilariously toxic," "predatory," and "downright greedy."
The trading system in Pokémon TCG Pocket is layered with restrictions, including limits on opening packs, Wonder Picking, and now trading, all of which encourage spending real money. The introduction of Trade Tokens added another layer of restriction, requiring players to discard five cards from their collection to trade one card of the same rarity, a move that drew significant ire from the community.
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It has been eight days since the trading feature was rolled out, following a three-week heads-up from Creatures Inc. about the upcoming feature. The company had acknowledged fan concerns and encouraged players to try the feature and provide feedback, leading many to hope for a more favorable implementation. However, the reality fell short of expectations, prompting Creatures Inc. to admit that "some of the restrictions put in place are preventing players from being able to casually enjoy" trading.
In response to the backlash, Creatures Inc. promised to introduce required items as rewards in upcoming events to alleviate player complaints. However, the recent Cresselia ex Drop Event, launched on February 3, did not include these promised rewards, further frustrating the community.
Many fans 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. The inability to trade cards of 2 Star rarity or higher is seen as a strategy to compel players to spend money on packs for a chance at obtaining rare cards. For instance, one player reportedly spent around $1,500 just to complete the first set, with the third set arriving last week.
