Pokémon Day is here again, this year marking the 28th anniversary of the goliath franchise and bringing with it plenty of exciting announcements. For mobile fans, chief among them is the reveal of a brand-new game launching this year: Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket.
Pocket was revealed via stream during a Pokémon Presents presentation, and the upcoming title got the most screentime of any game shown. It also brings the total number of operating Pokémon mobile games to six.
And as the name implies, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will digitise the popular card game in a way perfectly designed for mobile. It’s being created as a collaborative effort between The Pokémon Company, the physical Pokémon Trading Card Game creator Creatures Inc, and Pokémon Masters developer DeNA.
An immersive experience coming soon
In the upcoming card collector game, players will receive two free packs of Pokémon cards per day. After ripping the digital cards free, players will scour through the day’s haul either to appreciate the range of dynamic artstyles the Pokémon are depicted in, or in search of the rarest of the rare; Pocket features diamonds underneath each card to indicate the rarity of the pull, and just like the physical card game, there are special shiny cards to be found too.
Since the beginning, a large part of Pokémon’s appeal has been in its social elements, so naturally trading between friends will be a key feature too. And knowing its audience, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will allow players to view and organise the cards they have collected into display boards, binders, and battle decks – just like the real thing, but mobile.
Players will be able to battle with their collected cards too, building teams based on their random hauls; and while monetisation wasn’t shown in the Pokémon Presents, it was noted that only two packs will be made freely available each day – indicating Pocket will sell extra packs for either a direct in-app fee or via an in-game currency. Naturally, the more packs a player opens, the better the chance they’ll have of building the strongest team.
For those collectors more beguiled by Pokémon card artwork than gameplay, Pocket will also feature “Immersive Cards” that can be interacted with and even entered into – showcasing the world beyond the borders of the physical card whether that’s a bunch of Pikachu taking it easy or a Charizard breathing 3D flames.
“Since this game uses mobile devices rather than paper, we’re challenging ourselves to express that care in new ways that are only possible digitally – such as using the characteristics of the screen to show off brilliant colours and stylish effects. One way we’re accomplishing this is with Immersive Cards,” said Creatures Inc president and CEO Yuji Kitano.
“Our three companies are all working hard to deliver a fun experience for those of you who already enjoy the Pokemon Trading Card Game, as well as those who’ve never played before.”
Last year’s Pokémon Presents saw the full reveal of Pokémon Sleep, designed for those fans who have followed the franchise into maturity.
