The Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has sparked a controversial black market where players are buying and selling digital cards online, facilitated by the game's trading mechanic. Listings for these cards have surfaced on eBay, with prices ranging from $5 to $10 per card. This trading is made possible through the game's new feature, where sellers exchange friend codes with buyers and then send the desired card over.
A notable example is a $5.99 listing for a Starmie ex card, which requires buyers to have 500 Trade Tokens, one Trade Stamina, and an "unwanted Pokémon ex" to trade. This practice blatantly violates the Pokémon TCG Pocket's terms of service, which prohibit the buying or selling of virtual contents or data. Interestingly, the seller in these transactions loses nothing tangible, as they receive another ex Pokémon card in exchange, which they can then resell. The game's trading system only allows for cards of the same rarity to be traded, perpetuating this cycle.
The black market extends beyond individual cards, with entire accounts being sold that include rare items like Pack Hourglasses. Although trading in Pokémon TCG Pocket was controversial from its release, the online trading phenomenon is not directly linked to the initial complaints about the game's mechanics. Players were already frustrated with the game's restrictions, such as the need for Trade Tokens, which require players to delete five cards to trade one of the same rarity.
Even without these restrictions, a black market likely would have emerged. The current trading system's simplicity, requiring players to be friends to trade, has led to calls for a more open trading platform within the app itself. This could eliminate the reliance on external platforms like Reddit, Discord, and now eBay for card trading.
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Creatures Inc., the developer, has warned players against engaging in such transactions, threatening account suspension or other actions for violations. Ironically, the Trade Tokens mechanic, intended to prevent exploitation, has failed to curb this black market and has instead alienated many players. The company is currently investigating ways to improve the trading feature, though no specific plans have been announced despite ongoing complaints.
Some fans speculate that the trading system is designed to boost revenue for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly earned half a billion dollars in less than three months before trading was introduced. The inability to trade cards of 2 Star rarity or higher further supports this theory, as it forces players to spend real money on packs for a chance at rare cards. One player reportedly spent $1,500 to complete the first set, highlighting the financial commitment required to fully engage with the game.
