Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket: Everything We Know

If you happened to miss out on the Pokémon Presents showcase that aired a few days back, then just know this: the folks over at The Pokémon Company are working on a couple of new projects: a new Legends chapter, aptly titled Pokémon Legends A-Z; and Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, a bite-sized version of the classic trading game that’ll allow users to unwrap, swap, and ultimately collect their own decks. And that, really, is what we’re aiming to talk about today: PTGCP, as well as all of the exclusive features and other bells and whistles that’ll be implemented into the mobile game over the coming months.

So, what more do you need to know about it, bar the fact that it’s being headed up by Creatures, The Pokémon Company, and DeNA? Well, if you do have plans to invest in the latest IP, then be sure to load up on all of these details before making the plunge. Here’s everything we can tell you about it.

What Is Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket?

To cut a long story short, Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket is an interactive emulation of the classic paper-based trading card game created back in 1996. As such, players will be able to unlock fresh packs of cards (two free packs per day, apparently), as well as collect, trade, and battle them with other users on both Android and iOS devices. In other words, it’s exactly the same as its original counterpart — only in a virtual format, and with a few more nifty animations and other built-in on-screen features.

“In this game, you will be able to open two booster packs every day at no cost,” the elevator pitch adds. “You can collect digital cards featuring nostalgic artwork from the past as well as brand-new cards that are exclusive to Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket.” Well, there you have it — fans will have the opportunity to discover never-before-seen Pokémon, as well as their newly created portraits, abilities, and other talents.

The good news is, Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket is being developed by Creatures Inc—the same exact company that deals with the original trading card game. With that, returning players can full well expect to see a lot of the same features as made famous by the card-based counterpart, though perhaps with a slightly more refined design and interactive twist.

Story

It’s a trading card game, clear as day, so try not to get your hopes up in thinking that there’ll be any major surprises in the storyline department. Does this mean there won’t be a story mode, period? It’s hard to say. But from the sounds of it, there won’t be a great deal to onboard other than the traditional deck-building and card swapping components. The jury’s still out on that one, I’m afraid.

Gameplay

If you’ve a few spare Pokémon cards lying around, then there’s a good chance that you’ll know how the trading card game works: you open packs—decks that usually include a dozen or less cards, few of which have rarer statuses than others—and compile them into a deck of your own choosing. With the cards in your wallet, you can take several of them into battle, at which point you’ll have the chance to utilize your cards’ strengths and abilities in order to confront other Pokémon and potentially challenge their weaknesses. For the most part, it’s card dueling 101, which means, if you have taken the plunge into any deck-building game, then you’ll no doubt have a good idea of how it works, as well as what the win conditions are for each match.

What’s new in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is its “immersive cards”—special interactive cards that allow players to get a deeper understanding of the Pokémon’s natural habitat and its characteristics. It isn’t clear just how many of these cards will feature such an option, though from the sounds of it, an immersive card will be on a similar level as a shiny card, as made famous by the original game.

So, will you need to pay for any of the cards in PTCGP, or will they all be available for free? Well, according to the devs, players will be able to open two free packs per day, which means, in short, a lot of the game will, more or less, be free to play. With that said, there’s bound to be some form of premium content.

Development

Discover a new way to experience the Pokémon TCG!

Collect digital trading cards in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, coming in 2024 for iOS and Android devices. https://t.co/JIpTT1XyvM pic.twitter.com/qgjy4dACTu

— Pokémon TCG Pocket (@PokemonTCGP) February 27, 2024

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket was formally announced during the Pokémon Presents event—a showcase that touches base on all of the latest developments in the franchise. Aside from PTCGP making it into the cut, the firm also announced several other projects, including Pokémon Legends: A-Z, as well as a slew of new additions to the Pokemon Go and Pokémon Sleep entries on mobile. If all goes according to plan, then PTCGP will arrive on Android and iOS devices at some point in 2024.

Trailer

Thanks to The Official Pokemon YouTube Channel, we do have just a sliver of footage to share. You can check out the initial announcement trailer in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will be launching on Android and iOS at some point in 2024. Does that mean we can chalk out the possibility of it arriving on other platforms, such as consoles and PC? In short, yes. But, if you’re looking for something to fill that particular gap, then you might want to consider checking out The Pokémon Company’s upcoming release, Pokemon Legends: A-Z.

Interested in staying up to date with The Pokémon Company’s latest releases? If so, then be sure to check in with the team over on their official social handle here. If anything does change ahead of PTCGP’s launch, then we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket when it reaches Android and iOS? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.