Pokemon Pocket Trading Card Game is the latest Pokemon spin-off for mobile phones and was released internationally on October 30, 2024. So far, the game is off to a fantastic start in terms of player engagement. Just a week after debuting, Pokemon Pocket Trading Card Game it was downloaded over 30 million times on Android and iOS and earned around $3 million in a single day. Reception to the game was mostly positive as well. On the Google Play Store, it currently has a rating of 4.5/5, while on the App Store it has a score of 4.8/5. Popular mobile games don't usually get such high user scores, so the fact that Pokemon TCG Pocket that it was able to receive such wide acclaim is a testament to its quality.
That said, the game is far from perfect. The title is aimed at a younger audience, but Pokemon TCG Pocket is full of microtransactions and in-game coins. Although the game is still an adaptation of PTCG essentially, it almost feels like a gacha game at times because of the excessive monetization methods it uses. Pokemon TCG Pocket is also guilty of using FOMO-inducing mechanics. Some of the promotional cards in the game, for example, are only available during certain events for a limited time. While this makes cards more valuable, practices like these can end up frustrating players in the long run.
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Promotional cards can only be obtained through special means
In physics Pokemon Trading Card Gamepromotional cards (also called promotions) are not included in booster packs, but are available in special products such as elite training boxes, boxes and premium collections. Some of them can also be obtained exclusively during tournaments, giveaways, contests and other real-world promotional events. Promotional cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket they may not be physical, but they can be obtained in a similar manner. While certain cards are available for in-game purchase, others can be purchased in quests, promotional packs, drop events, and Wonder Pick events, among others.
There are currently 24 promotional cards Pokemon TCG Pocketbut only eight of them can be bought directly. The rest can be obtained exclusively in time-limited events. For example, players can receive Chansey (Promo-A 11) and Meowth (Promo A-12) through the Wonder Pick mechanism from November 1-15, 2024. When this event finally expires, these Chansey and Meowth promo cards will become completely unattainable. , thus making them artificially rare.
Pokemon GO is also guilty of locking content behind limited time events
This is not the first time that a Pokémon the mobile game took advantage of players' FOMO. With massive success Pokemon Gofor example, it has gained notoriety for locking certain Pokemon variants, costumes, and items behind limited-time events that are only available in certain regions of the world. At least in the case of this game, most event-exclusive Pokemon can be obtained again at a later date. Seasonal content in Pokemon Go tends to rotate every year; however, there are often so many events going on at the same time that it's hard to keep up.
The Pokemon Company should not go overboard with the use of FOMO in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Since Pokemon TCG Pocket has only been on the market for a few weeks, it's unclear if the limited-time promotional cards in the game will be available to players who missed them later, as in Pokemon Go. The fact that the developers haven't said anything about the matter probably suggests that this won't be the case. In any case, The Pokemon Company should try to limit the amount of Pokemon cards exclusively for in-game events to reduce FOMO. While it's okay if Pokemon Pocket Trading Card Game has some promotional cards that are only available for a limited time, having too many of them can make players feel unsatisfied.