Pokémon TCG Pocket's controversial trading mechanic has spawned a bizarre black market on eBay. Players are buying and selling digital cards for $5-$10 each, exploiting a loophole in the system. Sellers exchange friend codes with buyers, sending a card in return. A typical listing might offer a Starmie ex for an "unwanted Pokémon ex," plus 500 Trade Tokens and one Trade Stamina. This is a clear violation of the game's terms of service, prohibiting the buying and selling of virtual content. However, sellers essentially lose nothing, as they can immediately replace the traded card with another of the same rarity. Numerous listings for rare ex Pokémon and 1-Star alternate art cards are prevalent. Entire accounts, including valuable cards and Pack Hourglasses, are also for sale, a common occurrence in online games despite violating terms of service.
The trading mechanic itself proved controversial from its launch. Besides the existing restrictions on pack openings and Wonder Picking, Trade Tokens further limit trading frequency, requiring players to delete five cards to trade one of equal rarity. This black market would likely exist regardless of restrictions, however, due to the game's friend-only trading system. Many players, like Reddit user siraquakip, hoped for a more community-focused trading system within the app, rather than relying on external platforms.
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Developer Creatures Inc. has warned against real-money transactions and cheating, threatening account suspensions. Ironically, the Trade Token system, designed to prevent such exploitation, has instead fueled the black market and alienated the community. The company is investigating improvements to the trading feature but hasn't provided details despite ongoing complaints since its launch three weeks prior.
Many believe the trading system is revenue-driven, considering Pokémon TCG Pocket's estimated half-billion-dollar revenue in under three months before trading. The inability to trade 2-Star cards or higher reinforces this, as easy trading would reduce the need for expensive pack purchases. One player reportedly spent $1,500 completing the first set, with a third set released just last week.
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