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Shortly after the announcement of Pokémon TCG Pocket, Joshua Yehl wrote an article titled Pokémon TCG Pocket Is the Right Game at the Wrong Time for the online video game magazine IGN. His main point was that while TCG Pocket is set to be a great game, it could overshadow any support towards a good software for practicing the real Pokémon TCG online, given the poor performance of TCG Live. This article triggered many different reactions and I would like to offer, if not a rebuttal, at least a nuanced approach to his opinion.
A Mobile Client is an Amazing Bridge to the TCG
Marvel Snap was a huge success. So was Duel Links. Meanwhile, the Pokémon TCG is a game with long turns and a more complex design than in its early days.
By reconnecting the card game with its past (old artworks, lower power levels) while making the experience more accessible, TCG Pocket is exactly what Pokémon needed to satisfy the curiosity of both “old-timers” and younger audiences. TCG Pocket will be played by people who wouldn’t have been interested in getting back into the TCG anyway. It’s easy to envision that a fair share of them would be interested in giving the traditional TCG a shot after experiencing Pocket, during a downtime or after completing daily missions.
And while TCG Live has its shortcomings (which we’ll discuss later), it is good enough for a first few games and serves as a gateway to local game stores, thus growing the ranks of TCG players. Remember: most TCG practitioners are collectors, “casual” types. And without an accessible entry point, they won't return to the franchise anyway.
The trailer targets a much wider audience than just current TCG players
TCG Live: the Game that could Never Make it Big
Pokemon TCG Live replaced the old Pokémon TCG Online software in late 2021 – early 2022. Its aim is to perfectly replicate the TCG experience in the Standard format, with sets legal in non-Japanese countries. Developed by The Pokémon Company International, which manages Pokémon assets outside of Asia, it was inherently ineligible for any form of recognition in Nintendo’s communication such as in Pokémon Presents. Based in Japan, they have no interest in a game that only emulates the non-Japanese playing field.
This also implies that the budget for this project was, if not small, at least not significant enough to meet high expectations. In the end, the interface looks cheesy, the immersion (visual and musical) is non-existent, the bugs are numerous and there’s no official tournament circuit attached to this game. It essentially resembles an amateur-made software rather than a properly polished game.
Pokémon TCG Pocket, on the other hand, is backed by The Pokémon Company, the main entity managing the Pokémon brand and Creatures Inc which develops the TCG. They come with the experience, ambitions and budget of the biggest players in the Pokémon franchise.
A Divided TCG landscape
Joshua’s wish is to have a good client to emulate a tabletop experience, similar to Magic Arena. Such a client would allow players to use the same cards and play the same format as in real life, serving as a tool for familiarizing with the cards and gameplay without having to invest in physical cards. It would also enable competitive preparation through the digital experience, even allowing for competitive events organized within the software.
However, there’s a seemingly insurmountable challenge : the Pokémon TCG is not unified worldwide. Japan typically receives cards 1 to 2 months earlier than the rest of the world. It could be worse : Yu-Gi-Oh has a bigger gap, more special releases and more importantly, a different banlist between OCG (most East-Asian countries) and TCG (rest of the world). This is why a digital tabletop simulation for the TCG like Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel has a very specific format and release schedule, unified worldwide, but not meant to emulate the actual state of the TCG thus making it improper for testing the real card game. Players generally use unlicensed and borderline-legal solutions to simulate the actual card game, such as Dueling Book and YGOPro.
Booster pack opening appeals to players and collectors alike and will be a central feature of the app
TCG Pocket : the Best Game that Could Come from Japan
Due to the lack of interest from the Japanese branches of Pokémon and unless the TCG suddenly adopts a worldwide release schedule system like Magic the Gathering, it seems unlikely that we’ll see a good solution for emulating the TCG online any time soon. Japan seems even reluctant to initiate it, just like they haven't delivered for Yu-Gi-Oh.
I would throw in a hard guess and assume it's a consequence of the japanese environment. Pokemon TCG is by far the best performing TCG in Japan, there are local tournaments every single day, the scene has so many opportunity to play that they don't feel the need to develop a gaming software for it. Hence why initiatives to develop those solutions come from western countries, whether they're official (Online and Live are made by TPCI) or community-driven (Dueling Book...), as the sparser density of population and fiercer competition from other entertainment brands require better ways to keep players engaged.
If there’s ever a software to do it, it’s highly likely that it would have its own format, similar to Master Duel. It’s hardly what Joshua calls the “full game” but rather an ersatz of the real TCG.
But does it matter? TCG Pocket will attract an audience that this kind of software wouldn’t reach, and we should be thankful for that. In the hope that, someday, we’ll get a consistent and competitive digital TCG experience.