Pokémon TCG Pocket launched on October 30, 2024, and quickly became a hub for fans of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Players have embraced its vibrant community, competitive deck-building, and immersive mobile experience. However, one feature remains conspicuously absent—card trading.
Trading is a cornerstone of the traditional Pokémon TCG experience, and its absence in Pocket has left many fans clamoring for updates. While the feature has not yet been implemented, there are promising signs that it’s on the way.
Trading on the Horizon: January 2025 Target
The trading mechanic is expected to debut in January 2025, according to a forum post from the game’s operations team. The trading tab is already visible in the social hub, hinting at its imminent arrival. Despite the lack of official details about its mechanics, fans are eagerly theorizing how it will work and what limitations might be in place.
Community Theories and Concerns
The prospect of trading has sparked heated discussions among players, with opinions divided on its potential impact. Some players expressed concerns about the feature being overly restrictive, citing speculation that it may require multiple copies of a card to trade.
A popular theory suggests that players might need to own three duplicates of a card before it can be traded, mirroring the system used for flairs in the game. One fan commented:
“If anyone wants to get a gold card via trade, someone has to then have three of that gold card before they can trade it.”
Other players echoed these concerns, suggesting that trading could be limited by rarity tiers, stamina costs, or set exclusivity—with trades potentially restricted to older sets.
Don’t be surprised if trading away a card requires you to have more than 2
byu/benhur217 inPTCGP
Speculation on Trading Mechanics
Among the many theories circulating online, two key approaches have gained traction:
- Streamlined Wonder Pick-Style Trades:
Some players believe trading could resemble the Wonder Pick system, where cards are placed in a “for trade” bin, allowing for randomized one-for-one trades with other players. - Stamina or Currency Costs:
To prevent abuse, trading could be tied to a stamina system or require a specific currency, much like other in-game mechanics.
One player highlighted the importance of balancing trading to avoid trivializing set completion or enabling alt account exploitation for high-rarity cards. They suggested restrictions such as same-rarity trades, duplicate requirements, or stamina limits to maintain fairness.
Excitement Amid Reservations
While many players expressed concerns about the potential restrictions, others are optimistic about the possibilities trading could bring to the game. Limited trading, they argue, could strike a balance between accessibility and fairness, enhancing the community experience without disrupting the competitive meta.
Suggestions from the community include introducing pack point systems to trade extra cards for rewards or allowing trades for promo-specific cards.
Looking Ahead
As speculation continues to grow, the Pokémon TCG Pocket community is buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Whether the system adopts stricter rules or opens new avenues for collaboration, trading has the potential to become a game-changing feature for players.
In the meantime, the meta remains dynamic with recent expansions like Mythical Island shaking up competitive play. Decks like Gyarados ex dominate tournaments, while classics like Mewtwo ex are making a surprising comeback.
Stay tuned for updates on the trading feature as Riot’s plans unfold, and prepare to dive into the competitive scene with your best decks in hand!
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