Summary
- Pokemon TCG Pocket won't join the Pokemon competitive circuit in the immediate future.
- Nevertheless, The Pokemon Company says it's always considering new additions to the circuit, suggesting it might reconsider its decision in the future.
Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket will not be added to the Pokemon competitive circuit in the near future, The Pokemon Company said. This development deals a blow to Pokemon TCG Pocket's eSports prospects.
Developed by Japanese mobile gaming powerhouse DeNA, Pokemon TCG Pocket has been enjoying tremendous success since its October 2024 launch. According to an early February 2025 estimate by AppMagic, the mobile game broke the $500 million revenue threshold in just 100 days. The Pokemon Company also confirmed that DeNA's title surpassed 60 million downloads in its first six weeks on the market.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Players Aren't Happy About the Game's 'Useless' Rewards
Pokemon TCG Pocket fans are upset over new Wonder Trade Event rewards, with one item's inclusion earning a lot of their anger.
Despite this ongoing success, Pokemon TCG Pocket won't be extending its reach to the eSports space anytime soon. That's according to Chris Brown, The Pokemon Company International director of global eSports, who said as much in a recent interview with VGC. The gaming industry veteran confirmed that there are currently "no plans" to have DeNA's hit mobile game join TPC's official competitive circuit, which would automatically make it part of the Pokemon World Championships roster.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Is Inherently More Casual Than Pokemon TCG
It's possible TPC sees the idea of adding Pokemon TCG Pocket to the competitive circuit as conflicting with its premise, which is to serve as a casual introduction to the full-fledged trading card game. This design philosophy is evident in the fact that Pokemon TCG Pocket is a significantly simplified version of Pokemon TCG, featuring smaller decks, easier victory conditions, and no mulligans. DeNA also streamlined the game's energy system by completely eliminating Energy cards and replacing them with the Energy Zone, which automatically generates one Energy per turn. Moreover, Pokemon TCG Pocket doesn't feature the concept of resistances, all the while significantly nerfing weaknesses, to the point that they are no longer super effective.
Nearly all the differences between the two games come down to DeNA's title being more forgiving. While this distinction does wonders for its accessibility, making Pokemon TCG Pocket approachable for newcomers, the simplified mechanics could be seen as inhibiting the game's competitive potential. It's currently unclear whether any of this actually contributed to TPC's lack of plans for giving Pokemon TCG Pocket the eSports treatment. However, plans can change, and even Brown himself acknowledged that TPC is "always looking at things" to include.
Current Pokemon Competitive Circuit
- Pokemon TCG
- Pokemon GO
- Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
- Pokemon Unite
In the meantime, Pokemon TCG Pocket seems all but certain to miss out on the 2025 Pokemon World Championships, which will take place in Anaheim, California, in August. The event is expected to feature the same games as last year’s competitive circuit: Pokemon TCG, Pokemon GO, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and Pokemon Unite.
Source: PocketGamer.biz
- Released
- October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
- DeNA, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Digital Card Game
