Pokémon TCG Pocket, which turns two years old at the end of this month, is introducing a series of changes to the mobile game. According to a report by Kotaku, developers DeNA are announcing new features including ways to obtain animated Immersive Cards, in-game meta deck-building, and what players have called a much-needed improvement to trading.
The most significant change slows down the release cadence of new sets. The company said it will extend the booster pack release cycle from roughly four weeks to about six weeks, responding to feedback that collecting had become overwhelming.
We have received feedback that the large number of cards being released in each pack up to B series has made collecting difficult. In the new series, we will be changing the booster pack release cycle from the approximately four-week cycle to a cycle of roughly six weeks, with the hope that it will make it possible for even more players to enjoy building collections at their own pace.
Pokémon TCG Pocket update
The “B” series refers to the second year’s collection of sets. Over the past two years, each month has brought a new set of packs with full-art cards and abilities that shift the competitive scene, creating what critics describe as severe FOMO.
Immersive Cards
Immersive cards play out animations within their frames but have been entirely based on luck. Their pull rates are said to be around 1 percent, and with only two packs available per day, players often couldn’t collect a set before the next one launched under previous 30-day release cycles.
The new plan offers a way to unlock Immersive Cards through missions tied to “completing collections.” For C series, Special Packs will use their own “special pack stamina” that recovers once a week. The first batch, First Partners, features all 27 starter Pokémon and includes 1-star promo cards as mission rewards—full-art promos for the first time.
Trading up
Deck-building is also getting an overhaul with Community Decks, letting players build decks popular in the competitive meta without consulting external websites. Rental decks will no longer be limited to 10 uses and will be more readily available at the start of a new set.
Trading improvements address long-standing complaints: when trading with friends, the game currently does not show what cards they are missing or their complete wishlist. This change should prevent wasted trade attempts.
The update says nothing about improving the app’s sluggishness, which reportedly worsened despite a 3GB update in July. Of the 10 things we listed as needing improvement two years ago, none have been addressed by The Pokémon Company and DeNA, and the app has lost half its player-base since launch.
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