Pokémon TCG Pocket's in-game trading system fuels a thriving black market for digital cards on platforms like eBay. Sellers are circumventing the game's rules by exchanging friend codes and cards, listing rare Pokémon for prices ranging from $5 to $10.
One example shows a Starmie ex listed for $5.99, requiring buyers to possess 500 Trade Tokens, Trade Stamina, and an "unwanted Pokémon ex" for the exchange. This exploits a loophole: the seller essentially gains a card of equal rarity in return, allowing them to repeatedly sell the same type of card. This directly violates Pokémon TCG Pocket's terms of service, which prohibit the buying and selling of virtual items.
Numerous listings for rare ex Pokémon and 1-Star alternate art cards are prevalent on eBay, alongside entire accounts containing valuable in-game assets like Pack Hourglasses. While account selling is common in online games, it further highlights the issues with the current trading system.
The trading mechanic itself sparked controversy upon its release. Beyond the existing restrictions on pack openings and Wonder Picking, the introduction of Trade Tokens—requiring the deletion of five cards to trade one of the same rarity—drew significant criticism for its high cost.
Even without the Trade Token system, a black market likely would have emerged due to the trading mechanic's limitations. The inability to trade publicly within the app necessitates the use of external platforms like Reddit, Discord, and now eBay. Many players, such as Reddit user siraquakip, advocated for a more integrated, in-app trading system.
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Developer Creatures Inc. has warned against real-money transactions and cheating, threatening account suspensions for violations. Ironically, the Trade Token system, designed to prevent such exploitation, has instead fueled the black market and alienated the community.
Creatures Inc. is investigating improvements to the trading feature, but concrete solutions remain elusive despite player complaints dating back three weeks. Many believe the trading system's limitations are intentionally designed to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly generated half a billion dollars in under three months before the trading feature's implementation. The inability to trade higher-rarity (2-Star and above) cards further supports this theory, as it encourages players to spend money on packs to obtain rare cards. One player reported spending approximately $1,500 to complete the first set.
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