Summary
- Players are already profiting from virtual Pokemon cards in the TCG Pocket game.
- Despite clear guidelines against selling, players are auctioning cards on eBay.
- Sellers are using a cycle of trading and selling to make money, risking bans.
Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket recently released its trading functionality. The feature was met with serious and immediate backlash, with players calling it “predatory and downright greedy,” sparking DeNA to release a statement saying it is actively looking at ways to improve things.
When the feature launched, it came with a stark warning regarding trading virtual cards for real money, in which the developers said, “If we confirm that a player has engaged in behavior that violates the Terms of Use, we will warn them, suspend their account, or take action.”
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You’re all sleeping on this one.
The guidelines laid out are pretty clear: don’t profit from the app. Of course, that’s not stopped some players, with listings appearing, and selling, on eBay.
Players Are Already Profiting From Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket
Despite rules clearly forbidding selling Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket’s virtual cards, there is a contingent of players intent on lining their pockets.
A quick look on eBay shows cards selling for anywhere between £3 ($3.75) for more common cards like Gardevoir and £9.63 ($12) for rarer ones like Blastoise ex and Gengar ex. There are dozens of active listings for the cards, and many, many that have already sold.It’s a perfect strategy for these sellers. As part of the trade, they will receive another ex card from the buyer, which they can immediately sell, meaning they will never run out of stock. It’s only a matter of time before these folks get found out and banned, but it’s unlikely to deter them as they’ll just make another account and begin the cycle again.
This behavior has already made its way across to the Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket subreddit, but thankfully, players are a little sharper there. Posted by user Freenitrous, one player tried to charge $5 for a Tauros card, before they were swiftly mocked and left to try and swindle somebody else.
- Released
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October 30, 2024
- Publisher(s)
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The Pokemon Company