The Pokémon TCG Pocket trading feature, launched January 29th, 2025, has faced significant player backlash, prompting developer DeNA to announce upcoming improvements on February 1st, 2025 via Twitter (X). The core complaint centers around the high cost and restrictive nature of the trading system.

Pokémon TCG Pocket: Player Concerns Regarding the Latest Update

The High Cost of Trade Tokens

The trading feature, while helpful for completing Pokédex entries, allows trading only 1-4 Diamond and 1-Star rarity cards from Genetic Apex and Mythical Island booster packs. The required "trade tokens" are obtained by sacrificing higher-rarity cards, creating a significant hurdle. For example, trading a 4-Diamond card requires 500 tokens, while selling a 1-Star card yields only 100. This forces players to essentially "burn" rare cards to facilitate trades. DeNA has acknowledged these concerns and plans to introduce additional ways to acquire trade tokens, including event distributions. Currently, only 1-Star cards are tradeable.

DeNA explained the stringent rules were implemented to prevent bot abuse and multi-account exploitation, aiming to maintain a fair and fun card-collecting experience. Further details on planned changes remain undisclosed.

The Disappearance (or Apparent Disappearance) of Genetic Apex

Following the January 29th release of the Space-Time Smackdown booster packs, some players reported the Genetic Apex packs were missing from the main screen. This concern stemmed from the small, easily overlooked "Select other booster packs" option in the bottom right corner. While not actually removed, the poor visibility led to confusion and frustration, with some players believing the first booster pack had been permanently removed. Some players suggested updating the home screen to clearly display all three booster pack options. DeNA has not yet addressed this UI issue.

Although potentially beneficial for marketing the new packs, the design oversight caused unnecessary anxiety for players who hadn't completed the Genetic Apex collection. This highlights the need for clearer in-game communication and user interface design.