Pokémon Trading Card Game Live Launches, Replacing Online Ecosystem
The games industry is abuzz with news that The Pokémon Company is officially migrating its online trading card ecosystem to its new app, Pokémon Trading Card Game Live, on June 8. This move means that players of the digital card game on Pokémon Trading Card Game Online, which has been the platform for official online play since 2011, will have to make the switch to the new app at the beginning of next month. The original app will be completely removed from digital storefronts the same week, leaving players with no option but to switch to the new app.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Live has been in beta since November, and players who have already been using the app will find that not much changes when the full game launches next month. However, those who have been holding off on making the switch will have to do so before the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online app is delisted from mobile and desktop storefronts on June 5.
Players have had some time to prepare for the transition, as The Pokémon Company stopped adding new cards and packs to Online back in March. This means that anyone using the Online app has not been able to play with cards from the recent Scarlet and Violet packs, though they will be supported in Live. The Online app will continue to support Versus Ladder reward tracks and bug fixes up until its sunsetting in June.
There has been some controversy surrounding the transition between the Online and Live clients. Both apps use the same online profile, so transferring from one app to the other is not difficult, but Live has come under fire for drawbacks compared to Online, including a loss of in-game currency when transferring and a general lack of feature parity. On top of this, booster packs have fewer cards in Live than they did in Online, which The Pokémon Company has deemed “optimal” for the game’s economy.
However, despite these drawbacks, players will have to use the new Pokémon Trading Card Game Live app come June. Anyone who logs into Pokémon Trading Card Game Live between now and launch day will receive commemorative accessories, including a coin, card sleeves, and deck box all featuring the Global Beta logo.
The games industry will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on the launch of Pokémon Trading Card Game Live to see how it performs compared to its predecessor. With the controversy surrounding the transition and the changes made to the game, it remains to be seen whether the new app will be a hit with fans or whether they will be left disappointed with the changes made.
Another concern that has been raised by some fans is the lack of cross-platform play between the new Pokémon Trading Card Game Live app and the old Pokémon Trading Card Game Online app. This means that players who have made the switch to Live won’t be able to play with their friends who are still using the old app. The Pokémon Company has not yet announced any plans to add cross-platform play, but it is something that many fans are hoping for.
Despite the controversy surrounding the transition to the new app, there are still many fans who are excited for the launch of Pokémon Trading Card Game Live. The new app promises to offer a fresh experience for players, with new features and improved gameplay. The app will also be available on both mobile and desktop, making it more accessible than ever before.
With the launch of Pokémon Trading Card Game Live just around the corner, it will be interesting to see how the transition from the old app to the new one will play out. Will fans embrace the new app, or will they stick with the old one out of familiarity? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: the Pokémon Trading Card Game is here to stay, and fans are eagerly awaiting the next chapter in its evolution.