Pokémon TCG Pocket Confirms Changes to Much-Loathed Trading System Are Coming... Eventually

Pokémon TCG Pocket's reviled trading system is finally getting a much-needed overhaul. Developers have detailed significant improvements, promising a smoother, more enjoyable trading experience. While the changes sound fantastic, their implementation is unfortunately slated for the distant future.

In a recent community forum post, developers outlined the upcoming changes:

Farewell to Trade Tokens

The dreaded Trade Tokens are being eliminated! Trading will no longer require this cumbersome currency. Instead, trading three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity cards will now use Shinedust. Shinedust is automatically earned when opening booster packs containing cards already in your Card Dex. Since Shinedust is also used for flairs, developers plan to increase its acquisition rate. This shift should significantly increase the volume of cards you can trade. Existing Trade Tokens will be converted to Shinedust upon their removal. Trading one- and two-diamond rarity cards remains unchanged.

More Improvements on the Horizon

A new feature will let you specify desired trade cards within the in-game trading function.

This update fundamentally alters TCG Pocket's trading mechanics by removing Trade Tokens—a system widely criticized for its inefficiency. The previous system required discarding multiple cards to obtain enough tokens for a single trade, severely hindering the trading process.

The new Shinedust-based system is a significant improvement. Shinedust, already used for purchasing card flairs, is acquired automatically from duplicate cards. Additional Shinedust is obtainable through events and other means. Many players likely possess a substantial Shinedust reserve, and developers are exploring ways to increase its availability further. While a cost is necessary to prevent exploitation (players creating multiple accounts to farm cards and trade them to their main account), the Trade Token system proved excessively costly for most players.

Another crucial change is the ability to specify desired trade cards. Currently, players can only list cards for trade without indicating preferred cards in return, making trading with strangers impractical. The new feature allows players to make reasonable offers, increasing trading frequency.

Community reception to these changes is overwhelmingly positive. However, a significant drawback remains: players have already sacrificed numerous rare cards for Trade Tokens, a loss that cannot be recovered. Although tokens will convert to Shinedust, the lost cards remain a point of frustration.

Furthermore, the implementation of these changes is not expected until Fall. Until then, trading activity will likely remain stagnant due to the current system's unattractiveness. It's possible several expansions will launch before the "trading" aspect of Pokémon TCG Pocket truly flourishes.

For now, it's best to conserve your Shinedust!