During this year's Pokémon Day 2024 Pokémon Presents, a new digital card game for Pokémon has been announced - what is it all about? Let's find out!
What is Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket?
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will be an upcoming game specifically for mobile (iOS and Android) devices from Creatures Inc., the original developers of the Pokémon TCG, and DeNA Co., Ltd. set for release some time in 2024.
Debuting in October 1996, the original Pokémon Trading Card Game has been one of the most popular card games in the world, with a competitive circuit and collectors exploding since the 2020 pandemic. Players are able to collect cards featuring their favorite Pokémon characters, build powerful decks, and face off against opponents in strategic battles.
Why is the announcement of Pocket significant? According to the announcement, the rules of the original Pokémon Trading Card Game will be streamlined for quick battles, specifically for mobile gamers. You can see on the video there is an Energy Zone, which you can perhaps use all in one go to make some big plays!
What About Pokémon TCG Live?
It is important to note that Pokémon TCG already has a PC and mobile client, called Pokémon TCG Live - which took over from Pokémon TCG Online some time ago with a new developer. The game can be considered catered towards players who own the physical cards, rather than the other way around.
Furthermore, Live is faithful to the real version of the game, like MTGO is for Magic: The Gathering. Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is expected to have its own unique set of cards that are legal for play, like MTG Arena has digital-only formats for Magic: The Gathering.
It is also important to note that Live is not available in Japan either, but Pocket will be global.
What Does the Game Economy Look Like?
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket seems to be the answer to enter into the lucrative mobile game market. Unlike Pokémon TCG Live, which cards are primarily obtained from codes opened from physical products, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket aims to be completely monetized through traditional digital methods (i.e. microtransactions).
Both games targeting different players, this can be considered analogous to the Yu-Gi-Oh! mobile games - Master Duel and Duel Links for example. In Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, you will be able to open two booster packs each day for free. Apparently, it will also allow trading between players - which will be interesting to see how it works out.
As a completely separate standalone game, it is unlikely you will be able to use any code cards from outside the mobile game.
Immersive Cards
Immersive cards are a type of special cards that will be featured in Pocket, and it looks like they will be going all in on making cards look pretty and desirable!
Conclusion
Pokémon Trading Card Game is making its big move into the digital mobile card game market, and the intellectual property is too strong to ignore. The developers DeNA are not amateurs in the industry, so it should be initially successful.
Could it compete with Marvel Snap or Hearthstone, that is dominating the scene at the moment? On the other hand, a bunch of other digital card games have failed to reach the success it needs to continue - such as DC Dual Force and Legends of Runeterra that has announced their end not too long ago. There are also Gwent, Artifact, and even more card games that are practically on maintenance mode and stopped active development.
Trading is one thing that makes us think however, as we know players (and bots) can make new accounts to get free rewards - but perhaps a bit of playing time will be required to do so, or will be severely limited (as on the video claims "with friends"). Even then, this might create an interesting secondary market on its own.
Regardless, we will keep you posted as more information starts rolling in!