Letter to the Community | Sept. 19, 2024
Dear Pokémon Trainers,
In just a few weeks, we’ll be introducing a whole new way to enjoy the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) with Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. Since the game was announced earlier this year, we know Trainers have been eager to learn more — and today we’ll be providing a closer look at what fans can look forward to when the game launches around the world beginning Oct. 30, 2024.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket offers a fresh take on card collection, inviting fans to experience the thrill of opening booster packs, discovering cards with unique visual effects, and engaging in quick battles — all easily accessible from their mobile devices. When developing the game, our primary goal was to make card collecting fun for even first-time players by delivering beautiful and immersive card illustrations that showcase the uniqueness of each Pokémon, their personality, and their environments in innovative ways that could only be achieved digitally.
With Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, players will be able to enjoy a new Pokémon TCG experience with the following key features:
- Open booster packs: Players will be able to open two booster packs per day at no cost. In addition, the Wonder Pick feature provides players an opportunity to connect with players around the world, and it offers a chance to collect cards in other supported languages.
- Collect cards: Players can collect cards with nostalgic illustrations, new artwork found only in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket as well as special visual effects, such as parallax effects that add stunning depth and dimension to cards and “immersive cards” that allow players to leap into the world of the card’s illustration.
- Customize card collections: Players can decorate and personalize their digital card collections with various features, including display boards, binders and flair — special effects that can be applied to a card. In addition, players can customize their decks with various accessories, including playmats, card sleeves and coins.
- Engage in quick battles: With streamlined rules that have been optimized for mobile devices, players will be able to enjoy quick single-player and multiplayer battles during their spare time. The app also introduces various features that make battling approachable for beginners and casual players, including Auto-Battle, Rental Decks and Auto-Build.
We know fans are interested in how in-app purchases will show up in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. When developing the game, our primary goal was to deliver a fun and approachable Pokémon TCG experience for both casual and seasoned players. As such, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will be a free-to-start app that is designed to be fully enjoyable without any in-app purchases, including plenty of opportunities to collect cards and build strong decks at no cost. In addition to the two booster packs a day, first-time players can earn additional booster packs at no cost by advancing in the game and completing various missions.
Knowing that some Trainers may want to enjoy the game at their desired pace, players will have the option to purchase Poké Gold to reduce the wait time to open additional booster packs,* as well as a monthly premium pass subscription for $9.99 USD† that will allow players to open one additional booster pack (for a total of three booster packs) every day.†† The optional subscription will also unlock premium missions, offering players a chance to obtain unique promo cards and additional in-game items such as playmats, card sleeves and coins. First-time subscribers to the premium pass will receive the first two weeks at no cost.
In-app purchases do not currently yield cards with unique attacks and Abilities that cannot be acquired through the normal course of play. The promo cards unique to premium pass subscribers feature the same attacks and Abilities as cards that can be obtained at no cost, but they feature an alternate illustration.
We look forward to seeing fans build their card collections in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket next month and would like to thank the Pokémon community for their continued support as we expand our lineup of Pokémon TCG offerings. Fans can now preregister for the game in the App Store and Google Play Store. Trainers in New Zealand will be able to participate in the game’s soft launch beginning on Sept. 26, prior to the global launch on Oct. 30.
For more information about Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, please visit Pokemon.com/TCGPocket.
— The Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket Team