Pokemon TCG Pocket's Trading Tokens Get the Boot! Is This Finally the Update We've Been Waiting For?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
*Pokemon TCG Pocket* is ditching its much-maligned Trade Tokens in favor of a new Shinedust system and a Wishlist feature, which might actually make trading fun for once, and not another money grab.
Right, so *Pokemon TCG Pocket* reckons it's about to fix its trading system, and honestly, it might just be right this time. According to Game Rant, that pesky Trade Token system that had everyone scratching their heads (and hoarding digital dust) is finally getting the axe. Hallelujah, I say!
For those who jumped in late, *Pokemon TCG Pocket* launched last October and, fair dinkum, it was a bit of a hit, racking up over 10 million downloads quicker than you can say 'Pikachu'. But the trading? Crikey, it was clunkier than a first-generation Game Boy. The Trade Tokens were meant to… well, I’m not entirely sure *what* they were meant to do other than frustrate players. Limit trading? Create artificial scarcity? Either way, players weren't happy.
Now, according to the report, the big change lands on July 30th, and it's bringing a couple of juicy updates. First, Trade Tokens are gone. Vanished. Poof! Good riddance, you annoying little blighters. In their place, we're getting "Shinedust," which sounds a lot more magical, doesn’t it? You can snag Shinedust by doing the usual things: missions, achievements, and the blessed curse of duplicate cards. Finally a use for those endless piles of Caterpie!
But that’s not all, mate. The update also introduces a Wishlist feature. You can now list up to 20 cards you're desperate to get your hands on, highlighting your top three grails for all to see. Imagine the potential! No more aimless wandering through the digital marketplace, hoping to stumble upon that elusive Charizard. It's like leaving a cookie out for Santa, but instead of cookies, it’s holographic cardboard.
Of course, there’s a catch. Shinedust will be required for trading those super-rare, shiny cards (the three- and four-diamond ones, and apparently 'one-star' cards, whatever those are). Makes sense, I suppose; can't have everyone running around with god-tier decks straight away, can we? And if you're sitting on a pile of useless Trade Tokens, don't fret! You can swap them for Shinedust or a bunch of those 60-pack Hourglasses. A reasonable compromise, I reckon.
So, is this the update that *Pokemon TCG Pocket* needed? It certainly sounds like it. Removing the Trade Tokens and adding a wishlist feels like a step in the right direction. Plus, the new 'Wisdom of Sea and Sky' expansion is dropping alongside the update, bringing in Pokemon from the Johto region (Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Lugia, Ho-Oh), so there's plenty of new shiny things to chase.
The big question is: will Shinedust become the new Trade Token-shaped headache? Only time will tell, but for now, I'm cautiously optimistic. This could be the update that makes *Pokemon TCG Pocket* a proper trading card game, or it could be another case of The Pokemon Company overcomplicating things. Either way, I'll be glued to my screen on July 30th, ready to find out.
Tags: Pokemon TCG Pocket, Trading Card Game, Mobile Gaming, Pokemon, Game Update
Original article: Game Rant