Developers behind the upcoming mobile game Pokémon TCG Pocket confirmed the title will not feature NFTs amid community concerns.
Pokémon unveiled Pokémon TCG Pocket as part of a handful of announcements on Pokémon Day 2024. With no mainline Pokémon title or spin-offs announced for this year, Pokémon TCG Pocket may be the only major Pokémon release in 2024.
The surprise reveal of Pokémon TCG Pocket raised excitement among players, particularly in a world where high-demand cards like Van Gogh Pikachu are scalped for audacious prices. But there was an air of concern about how it would function.
Details were limited, though it was confirmed players would receive two free packs a day, and, while not official, it’s pretty much guaranteed that there will be in-app purchases. But the big fear was that these would be taken up a notch with the introduction of Pokémon NFTs in the game.
In a statement issued to Polygon on Feb. 28, The Pokémon Company made it clear that wasn’t the case, however, as NFTs have not been “developed or approved” and warned that any NFTs in the market are unofficial and “in no way affiliated” with the Pokémon brand.
The confirmation will undoubtedly bring huge sighs of relief to the community, though it still seems highly likely that microtransactions will be included. This is nothing new for the franchise, however, as they have been present in Pokémon Go for years. Although that approach is unpopular with many, it is certainly much, much better than an NFT model.
Exactly how card collecting in Pokémon TCG Pocket works remains to be seen, but we should hear more about the title soon considering the plan is for it to be released before the end of 2024.
