Pokémon TCG Pocket Set to Address a Major Frustration for Players
Pokémon TCG Pocket is gearing up to celebrate its second anniversary at the end of this month, and developers DeNA are rolling out a host of exciting changes for the mobile game. Along with the introduction of new methods to acquire the animated Immersive Cards, a feature for building meta decks in-game, and significant enhancements to trading, there’s also the much-anticipated news that the release cycle for new sets will finally slow down, making it less overwhelming for players.
While it may sound strange to complain about an abundance of new sets and beautifully illustrated cards, anyone who has tried to keep pace with the game over the past two years will understand. Each month brings a fresh collection of packs, complete with full-art cards of varying rarities and new abilities that shake up the competitive scene. This relentless pace has created a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) among players. Slowing down the release schedule is a fantastic idea, allowing more time to catch up on collecting recent sets and easing the rapid shifts in the meta.
The update notes, “We have received feedback that the large number of cards being released in each pack up to B series has made collecting difficult.” The “B” refers to the second year’s collection of sets. “In the new series, we will be changing the booster pack release cycle from the approximately four-week cycle to a cycle of roughly six weeks, with the hope that it will make it possible for even more players to enjoy building collections at their own pace.”
Immersive cards are one of the standout features of Pokémon TCG Pocket, showcasing stunning animations within their frames. However, acquiring them has been largely a matter of luck, with pull rates around 1 percent. Given that players can open only two packs a day and with 30-day release cycles for sets, it’s easy to see why many players struggled to obtain previous Immersive Cards before new ones arrived. The new plan aims to allow players to unlock these cards through missions focused on “completing collections.”
As someone who has played daily for the past two years, my goal has been to collect all the Immersive Cards. I’ve succeeded with the A series, but many from the B series remain elusive. While you can obtain them through pack points, it takes a staggering 1500 points specific to the set—only achievable by opening an outrageous 300 packs. Fans have been vocal about wanting pack points to be shared across all sets, but that request remains unaddressed.
The upcoming C series will also introduce Special Packs, which will utilize a unique “special pack stamina” that replenishes weekly. The first set, called First Partners, will feature all 27 starter Pokémon, which is fantastic! Additionally, there will be 1-star promo cards as mission rewards—previously, promos were limited to standard cards, so it’s exciting to see full-art cards making their debut here.
Deck-building is set for a revamp as well. Currently, players can create their own decks from scratch or “rent” decks made by the game, but now Community Decks will be introduced. This feature will allow players to build decks that are popular in the competitive meta without needing to search for them on external sites. In another positive change, rental decks will no longer be limited to 10 uses; they will be unlimited and more readily available at the start of a new set launch.
Lastly, and very importantly, some long-overdue trading features are finally being added. Currently, when trading with friends, the game makes it difficult to see what cards they need and, more frustratingly, doesn’t display their complete wishlist. This will change, eliminating wasted trade attempts when someone offers a card you already have in abundance.
However, there’s no mention of improvements to the app’s frustrating sluggishness, which lags during basic tasks like switching tabs. A major 3GB update in July was supposed to enhance performance, but it seems to have made things worse. It’s disappointing that after two years, the game still struggles on both Android and iOS, and there’s no indication that these issues will be addressed. It’s not surprising that the app has lost half its player base since launch, given the lack of attention to essential improvements. Nonetheless, many of the changes outlined in the new update are certainly welcome.
