The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket have finally shed light on significant enhancements to the game's much-criticized trading function, which has been problematic since its launch. The proposed improvements sound promising, though their implementation will take considerable time.
In a recent post on the Pokémon community forums, the developers outlined the upcoming changes:
Removal of Trade Tokens
- Trade Tokens will be eliminated, and players will no longer need to sacrifice cards to obtain trading currency.
- Shinedust will become the new currency for trading three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity cards.
- Shinedust will be automatically earned when you open a booster pack and obtain a card already registered in your Card Dex.
- The amount of Shinedust offered will be increased due to its dual use for trading and obtaining flair.
- Existing Trade Tokens will be converted to Shinedust once removed from the game.
- No changes for trading one-diamond and two-diamond rarity cards.
Additional Updates in Development
- A feature to share cards you're interested in trading will be added to the in-game trading function.
The current Trade Token system has been a major pain point. To trade a single ex Pokémon card, players had to discard five other ex cards to gather enough Trade Tokens, a process that discouraged many from using the trading feature. The new system utilizing Shinedust is a significant improvement. Shinedust, already used in-game to purchase flairs, is earned automatically from duplicate cards and through various events, making it more accessible.
While imposing a cost on trading is necessary to prevent system abuse, the Trade Token system was overly burdensome. The new Shinedust system aims to balance this by making trading more feasible for the average player.
The ability to share desired trade cards will also revolutionize the trading experience. Currently, there's no in-game way to communicate trade preferences, leading to ineffective trading with strangers. This new feature will enable players to make informed offers, enhancing the overall trading experience.
The community has responded positively to these changes, though there's a significant downside: players have already sacrificed many rare cards to the old system, with no way to recover them. Although existing Trade Tokens will convert to Shinedust, the lost cards are irreplaceable.
The major caveat is the timeline for these changes; the blog post indicates that implementation won't occur until the fall of this year. This delay might cause trading to stagnate further, as players are likely to avoid using the current system in anticipation of the new one. Several expansions may come and go before the trading function in "Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket" fully realizes its potential.
So, for now, players are advised to save their Shinedust!
