Summary
Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocketwill not be added to thePokemoncompetitive circuit in the near future, The Pokemon Company said. This development deals a blow toPokemon TCG Pocket’s eSports prospects.
Developed by Japanese mobile gaming powerhouse DeNA,Pokemon TCG Pockethas been enjoying tremendous successsince its October 2024 launch. According to an early February 2025 estimate by AppMagic, the mobile game broke the $500 million revenue threshold in just 100 days. The Pokemon Company also confirmed that DeNA’s title surpassed 60 million downloads in its first six weeks on the market.
Despite this ongoing success,Pokemon TCG Pocketwon’t be extending its reach to the eSports space anytime soon. That’s according to Chris Brown, The Pokemon Company International director of global eSports, who said as much in a recent interview withVGC. The gaming industry veteran confirmed that there are currently “no plans” to have DeNA’s hit mobile game join TPC’s official competitive circuit, which would automatically make it part of thePokemon World Championships roster.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Is Inherently More Casual Than Pokemon TCG
It’s possible TPC sees the idea of addingPokemon TCG Pocketto the competitive circuit as conflicting with its premise, which is to serve as a casual introduction to the full-fledged trading card game. This design philosophy is evident in the fact thatPokemon TCG Pocketis a significantly simplified version ofPokemon TCG, featuring smaller decks, easier victory conditions, and no mulligans. DeNA also streamlined the game’s energy system by completely eliminating Energy cards and replacing them with the Energy Zone, which automatically generates one Energy per turn. Moreover,Pokemon TCG Pocketdoesn’t feature the concept of resistances, all the while significantly nerfing weaknesses, to the point that they are no longer super effective.
Nearly all the differences between the two games come down to DeNA’s title being more forgiving. While this distinction does wonders for its accessibility,makingPokemon TCG Pocketapproachable for newcomers, the simplified mechanics could be seen as inhibiting the game’s competitive potential. It’s currently unclear whether any of this actually contributed to TPC’s lack of plans for givingPokemon TCG Pocketthe eSports treatment. However, plans can change, and even Brown himself acknowledged that TPC is “always looking at things” to include.
Current Pokemon Competitive Circuit
In the meantime,Pokemon TCG Pocketseems all but certain to miss out on the 2025 Pokemon World Championships, which will take place in Anaheim, California, in August. The event is expected to feature the same games as last year’s competitive circuit:Pokemon TCG,Pokemon GO,Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, andPokemon Unite.
