Trading is a major part of most card games, so many have assumed that it’ll be a major part ofPokémon TCG Pocket, too.Pocketis the new mobile platform for collecting and playing withPokémoncards, complementing, butnot replacingPokémon Live. It allows players to open packs, keep up withall the latestPokémonsets, and go head-to-head in battles against friends and fellow Pokémon Trainers from around the world.

Pocket’s main focus is clearly on opening booster packs and collecting cards, but what if a player wants a particular card, or has too many duplicates of something they want to get rid of? In the real-lifePokémoncommunity, it’s often as simple as buying, selling, or trading with a friend. As it turns out,Pokémon TCG Pocketwill eventually have a similar system, although it may not be as simple or as flexible as many players may hope.

Pikachu and Charizard with the Pokémon TCG Pocket logo.

Pokémon TCG Pocket Doesn’t Have Trading At Launch

But It May Be Added Later

Unfortunately,Pokémon TCG Pocketdoesn’t allow players to trade cards at launch. For now, the focus appears to be on allowing players tobuild up their collections by opening booster packs; trading between players will be temporarily restricted. Honestly, most players won’t even have a collection of cards significant enough to begin trading until a few weeks after the game’s launch, unless they’re spending tons of money on boosters.

Pokémon TCG Pocket Datamine Reveals Possible Future Set Release Dates

Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket’s upcoming release schedule may have been discovered thanks to a new datamine, with two sets due for release.

Pokémon TCG Pocketis expected to eventually have a trading function, as it does appear in trailers for the game. But exactly how long that will take and what it will look like is somewhat unclear. This could be added several days, weeks, or months after launch in a standalone update, or alongside the release of a major new set.

Pokemon TCG Pocket image showing card backs from the mobile game.

How Trading Could Work In TCG Pocket

Searches & Safeguards

There will likely be certain restrictions on trading to keepPokémon TCG Pocketfair. For one thing,it’s likely that players will only be able to trade cards of the same or similar rarity, to prevent experienced collectors from taking advantage of newcomers who don’t know what they have.

In a similar vein,both players will likely have to confirm their approval of a proposed tradebefore it can go through, similar to trading systems in MMOs. This will prevent unfair trades by ensuring all involved parties know exactly what they’re getting, and are willing to lose whatever they’re giving away.

pokemon tcg pocket logo with some of the cards available

This Newly-Revealed Terastal Festival Card Is About To Drastically Change The Pokémon TCG Meta

Eevee ex was recently revealed to be part of the new Pokémon TCG set Terastal Festival, and it is sure to shake up the meta in due time.

Rerolling, a common practice in gacha games, may also be limited. This strategy has players making multiple accounts when starting a new game, then rolling on each one for new characters/weapons/whatever until they get a desired outcome. They’ll then either make the account with the best result their primary account, deleting the rest, or sell its password for a profit.Rerolling would actually be easier inPokémon TCG Pocketwith a trading function, so it’ll likely be prohibited to prevent players gaining an unfair advantage in the trading market.

Terastal Festival Eevee Ex Card Pokemon TCG

A search function would also greatly aid the process of tradinginPokémon TCG Pocket. This should be robust and flexible, with players able to search for specific cards, sets, rarities, alternate art, et cetera. Ideally, players who put their cards up on the marketplace could also suggest some desired cards they’d consider as potential trades, and others could filter their searches according to those wishlists in order to guide their own offers.

When Could Pokémon TCG Pocket Get Trading?

No Definite Timeline, But Some Hints

Frankly,there’s no definite timeline for whenPokémon TCG Pocketwill add a trading feature. For now, it exists just as it is: a platform for opening booster packs, with the ability to play some simplified modes of thePokémon TCGwith the cards players receive. However, it bears repeating that trading has always been a major part of thePokémon TCG- it’s literally right there in the name. As a result,Pocketprobably won’t be without a trading feature for long; it’ll likely be a wait time of weeks or months rather than years.

Why You’ll Want This Powerful Pokémon TCG Deck

Raging Bolt ex has emerged as a powerful Pokémon TCG deck after picking up two tournament wins, and it may stick around at the forefront of the meta.

Using common knowledge ofPokémonrelease strategies, it’s possible to speculate about when a trading update might come toPocket.Pokémonin general, and thePokémonTCG in particular, tends to time its big releases to coincide with each other; it has a penchant for cross-promotion, and will take advantage of it whenever possible. But withno expansions planned for 2024 afterSurging Sparks, it could be a few months before it has another opportunity to do that. Therefore,trading could be added toPokémon TCG Pocketalongside the release of its first set in 2025- likely in January or February.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Header showing Mewto and Charizard fighting in the center, an Arcanine ex card to the left, and Bulbasaur card to the right, with Eeveelutions in the background.

So, while trading isn’t a feature ofPocketyet, it’s clear that it will be eventually. Until then, players should take advantage of the benefits of being an early adopter: take the time to build up a solid collection with the daily free booster packs, then hit the ground running as soon as the trading scene emerges. It’s only a matter of time before trading becomes a major part ofPokémon TCG Pocket.

Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is a mobile adaptation that reimagines the classic TCG experience for iOS and Android devices.

The key cards of the Raging Bolt ex deck

pokemon-tcg-cover.jpg