I was there for the initial wave ofPokemon feverin the early ’90s. The first game I got with myGame Boywas Pokemon Blue, and I was diligent about storing every single Pokémon card I got in a protective binder. Despite my school banning the cards, friends and I would still sneak them in to trade duplicates amongst one another, although we never bothered to even learn how to play the actual game itself. Collecting was the draw, and it was intoxicating. Eventually, the combination of mylack of incomeas a kid and so many new cards coming out made the idea of collecting them all unachievable, and I stopped.
I never got as deep into the franchise as I was in those early days, but when I saw theannouncement for Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, it instantly grabbed my attention. Sure, there were plenty of other games that replicated it, but this one looks to focus on the actual collecting aspect first and foremost. Digital cards will never be as satisfying as the real thing, but the convenience and gamification might be enough to bridge the gap.
However, this game has one dark shadow cast over it that could turn a possible dream game into a nightmare.
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Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket needs to nail its monetization
The ability to exploit fans here is deep
If there are two things that prey on people’s psychology to spend money more than anything else, it’s collectibles and mobile games. Combine the two, and you have a recipe for an extremely exploitative game that only rewards those willing to shell out cash. We’ve seen it time and time again, but with something as deeply rooted in nostalgia and pop culture as Pokémon, it will take a massive amount of restraint for Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket to resist the urge.
From what we know, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will be free and give players access to two booster packs every day at no cost. You could teach a class on psychological manipulation based on the animation we see of packs opening. The way you swipe, the sound effects, the flash of light, and the slow pop of gems below the card all feel meticulously crafted to trigger your dopamine receptors.
The way you swipe, the sound effects, the flash of light, and the slow pop of gems below the card all feel meticulously crafted to trigger your dopamine receptors.
Add in the ability to battle and show off your cards to friends, and this game is primed to deliver extreme amounts of FOMO.
As much as I want this game to reinvigorate my love for collecting cards, I have to be realistic and temper my expectations based on the current pricing trends. There’s a way it can be fair and balanced, allowing people an alternate and free path to earn everything, but until I see otherwise, I have to assume the worst.
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A fair pricing model is the key
I’m ready to pay, but only if the price is right
I fully accept that Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will have microtransactions for cards and packs. It is a free game, and that’s how real trading cards work – what I won’t stand for is it being the only viable way to enjoy the game. I’ll reserve judgment until I know all the details, but two daily free packs feels like more of a way to get people to open the game every day and get a tiny taste before dangling better packs in our faces that we could purchase. There’s also the question of rarity and pack types. Will there be certain packs you’re only able to buy? Can you get every card by playing for free? How long would that even take?
Cost will be the most important factor.
In the end, the cost will be the most important factor. I can’t assign a set number to what packs should cost without knowing how many cards they hold or if there are ways to earn more packs for free. However, I can say that I will not be picking this game up until I know for sure it isn’t preying on my nostalgia to gouge me until I get that holographic Bulbasaur.
What’s worse is that this is such a powerful IP that it could likely get away with predatory practices no matter how much it’s maligned. As long as it captures a few “whales,” it just needs to hold out until the bad press moves on to something else, which would be a shame for a game that has so much potential.
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