Bloody Hell, Pokémon TCG Pocket's Deluxe Pack ex Just Rewrote the Rules of Collecting (Again)?!
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Pokémon TCG Pocket's upcoming 'Deluxe Pack ex' for its first anniversary, while packed with new art and foils, has sparked fan backlash because its reprints won't count towards original set completion in the Pokedex, only for the new set itself.
Right, gather 'round, mates, because I've been tinkering with this bit of news about *Pokémon TCG Pocket*, and honestly, it's wilder than a rogue Porygon-Z trying to download itself into a toaster. You know that feeling when you cast a spell, and it works a bit *too* well, but with a tiny, utterly perplexing side effect? That's what The Pokémon Company and DeNA seem to have cooked up for their mobile TCG players.
First off, let's set the scene: *Pokémon TCG Pocket* has been an absolute digital beast since it launched. We're talking 100 million downloads in less than half a year, and a reported $400 million in revenue within just two months. Fair dinkum, that's more cash than a whole parade of Meowth using Pay Day. It's safe to say this mobile rendition of the beloved card game has absolutely smashed it, bringing back all those nostalgic feels of cracking open physical packs, but now conveniently in your… well, pocket.
Naturally, with such colossal success and the game approaching its first anniversary (how time flies when you're digitally collecting Squirtles!), they're rolling out a celebratory set: the 'Deluxe Pack ex.' And on the surface, it sounds like pure joy. We're talking tons of reprints of popular cards, featuring gorgeous new artwork – which, let's be honest, is always a treat – and even some stunning new 'parallel foil' versions. Each four-card pack is guaranteed to have at least one card of 'four-diamond rarity' or better, so there's plenty of sparkle to chase. It's all set to drop late next month, ready to mark a year of digital card-slinging mayhem.
Now, here’s where my gentle skepticism meter started twitching like a confused Magnemite. As meticulously reported by Michael Brandon Ingram, Senior Contributor at Game Rant, in his recent piece, an update from the official Japanese Twitter account for *Pokémon TCG Pocket* dropped a rather curious bombshell about this 'Deluxe Pack ex.' And trust me, it’s a detail that’s caused a bit of a ruckus among the digital collectors out there.
Hold your digital horses, because apparently, these shiny new reprints from the 'Deluxe Pack ex' will *only* count towards the Dex completion for the 'Deluxe Pack ex' set itself. Yep, you heard that right. Despite being reprints of older cards – often with the same stats and abilities, just a new lick of digital paint – they won't, for some bewildering reason, count towards the completion of the *original* sets they came from. It's like finding a shiny, perfect replica of your favourite ancient spellbook, only for your magical library's inventory system to tell you it's a completely different book and doesn't fill the slot for the original.
Bloody hell, what were they thinking? Unsurprisingly, this decision has been met with a chorus of disgruntled Pokémon trainers. Replies to the announcement were filled with fans voicing their discontent, particularly those dedicated souls striving for that sweet, sweet 'Dex complete' status. The core of the frustration, as highlighted by Ingram's report, is that many of these are essentially identical cards mechanically, but for collection purposes, they're suddenly distinct. Players are asking for clearer ways to distinguish these 'Deluxe Pack ex' versions from their older counterparts, especially important for trading (should that ever become a more robust feature) and, of course, the sheer joy of organized digital hoarding.
From my perch, observing the chaotic dance of gaming industry decisions, this feels like one of those head-scratching moments. Why make a reprint *not* count towards the original? Is it an oversight? Or a clever (perhaps too clever) way to pad out content and give players another 'thing' to complete, encouraging continued engagement – and by extension, continued spending on packs? It almost feels like a wizard creating a portal to an identical dimension, then being surprised when people question why they have to re-collect all their items there. It adds friction to the collecting experience, rather than enhancing the celebratory vibe of an anniversary.
It’s a peculiar move from a game that’s otherwise been a cash cow and a fan favourite. You'd reckon they'd want to keep the goodwill flowing, especially when celebrating such a milestone. This isn't exactly a groundbreaking 'innovation' that serves players; it feels more like a subtle nudge towards deeper engagement with *this specific pack* at the expense of the overarching collection experience.
So, as *Pokémon TCG Pocket* rockets into its second year with all the momentum of a fully charged Zekrom, it’ll be interesting to see if they listen to the community feedback on this one. Will they walk back the decision, or will 'Deluxe Pack ex' cards remain in their own peculiar Pokedex limbo? Only time, and perhaps a few more tweets from the official account, will tell. In the meantime, I'll be over here, wondering if my digital cup of tea counts as a *new* cup of tea if I pour it into a slightly different coloured mug. The mysteries of the digital age, eh?
Tags: Pokémon, TCG, Mobile Gaming, Digital Collectibles, Game Update
Original article: Game Rant