Pokemon TCG Pocket Is Finally Adding New Event Types (But Fan Reactions Are Mixed)

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Starting on April 4th, Pokemon TCG Pocket is hosting a new Community Week event. As its name suggests, the event offers a series of missions that are geared at reminding players about the social elements of the app. And if my experience is any indication, it’s certainly a much-needed reminder. The event runs from April 4th to April 11th and offers a variety of rewards for using the game’s social features. But not every player is excited about the game’s attempt to nudge users towards sharing and trading their cards.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Launches Community Week Event To Help Gamers Connect, But It Could Backfire

Image courtesy of DeNA

When I logged in for my daily card pulls, I was pleasantly surprised to see the new event missions live in my app. After many months of a predictable rotation, the variety is nice. And Pokemon TCG Pocket‘s Community Week missions do indeed push players to use some more underutilized aspects of the app. The mission list encourages players to Share cards, one of the newest social features in the game. It also gives rewards for using that Thanks button when interacting with other players and for initiating and completing Trades. And yes, Community Week is also encouraging players to go out and make new friends in Pokemon TCG Pocket.

In theory, these event missions should foster renewed connection between players. I’ve noticed that my own friends list has dwindled down in terms of daily active users, particularly when it comes to trading, sharing, and giving thanks for Wonder Picks and the like. Amping this activity back up could help players feel more rewarded for logging into Pokemon TCG Pocket. And community connection has long been a goal for the Pokemon franchise. However, not everyone is thrilled to brace for an influx of new Shares.

Welcome to the worst week for shares
byu/SoyJoyBoyToy inPTCGP

Some users are frustrated at the likelihood that they’ll wind up getting shares of cards they don’t want or need. While adding more cards to your collection isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it seems that some players are tired of seeing “junk” shares in Pokemon TCG Pocket. Instead of looking through Wishlists and sharing cards that players are actually chasing, some players will just send a random card instead.

When it’s one that you don’t yet have in your collection, it’s still a win. But if it’s a throwaway duplicate, some players see it as just another notification they have to click through rather than a bonus. From the sounds of it, some Pokemon TCG Pocket users might use this week to delete friends instead of adding them. That’s pretty much the opposite of what DeNA was trying to accomplish with Community Week. And it’s not the only issue.

One gamer is pointing out that newcomers to Pokemon TCG Pocket can’t fully participate in the event. Apparently, new accounts need to wait 7 days before sharing cards in the game. And given that Community Week runs from April 4th to April 11th, anyone who decides to try Pokemon TCG Pocket during the event may not have time to collect all of the mission rewards.

Despite some drawbacks, many players are just happy to see something new to do in Pokemon TCG Pocket. At the very least, we can get some coveted Pack Hourglasses and a fun new Seasons Display Board out of the deal.

What do you think of Community Week in Pokemon TCG Pocket? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!