Pokémon TCG Pocket is approaching its second anniversary at the end of October 2026, and developers DeNA are announcing a substantial group of changes for the mobile card game. The update covers new ways to earn Immersive Cards, in-game support for building competitive decks, expanded trading information and a less demanding schedule for new sets.
That final change could be the most significant for collectors. Since launch, players have faced a new collection of booster packs roughly every four weeks. Each set brings new full-art cards, rarities and battle abilities, making it difficult to collect consistently while the competitive metagame keeps shifting. A longer release cycle should reduce the pressure to keep up and give players more time to complete recent collections.
DeNA says player feedback highlighted how the large number of cards in each pack, through the second-year B series, made collecting too difficult. From the upcoming C series onward, booster releases are planned approximately six weeks apart instead of every four weeks. The stated aim is to let more players build their collections at their own pace.
A better path to Immersive Cards
Immersive Cards remain one of Pokémon TCG Pocket’s standout features. These special cards contain animated scenes that unfold inside the card frame, but obtaining them has largely depended on luck. Their reported pull rate is about one per cent, while players receive two packs per day. Under a release cycle of around 30 days, many collectors had little realistic opportunity to find older Immersive Cards before another set arrived.
The planned solution is to add missions connected to completing collections, creating another route to unlocking Immersive Cards. Pack points will remain an option, but obtaining one of these cards through that system costs 1,500 points tied to the relevant set. Reaching that total requires opening 300 packs. A frequently requested change—making pack points usable across all sets—has not been announced.
The upcoming C series will also introduce Special Packs, which use a separate supply of “special pack stamina”. That stamina will recover once a week. The first Special Pack is called First Partners and will include all 27 starter Pokémon.
Missions will additionally offer one-star promotional cards as rewards. Promotional cards have previously been standard cards only, so the arrival of full-art promo cards gives collectors another reason to complete these objectives.
Community Decks and more useful trading
Deck construction is also being expanded. Players can currently create decks themselves or use game-provided rental decks. Community Decks will make popular competitive builds available inside the app, reducing the need to search external websites for effective lists.
Rental decks will no longer be restricted to 10 uses. They will become unlimited and should be easier to access when a new set launches, giving players a more practical way to try the latest battle strategies.
Trading is set to receive a similarly useful improvement. At present, the game does not clearly show which cards a friend is missing and does not display that friend’s complete wishlist. The new system will provide that information, helping players avoid proposing trades for cards their contact already owns—sometimes several copies of.
Performance problems remain unanswered
The announcement does not address the app’s persistent performance issues. Pokémon TCG Pocket can still become sluggish when performing basic actions such as switching tabs. A 3GB update released in July was expected to help, but some players found the application even less responsive afterwards.
After two years, the game still lacks a clear promise of major performance improvements on Android or iOS. Earlier calls for a range of basic fixes also remain largely unresolved, and the game has reportedly lost half of its player base since launch. The new collection, deck-building and trading features are welcome, but a smoother app would make those improvements considerably more valuable.
For more coverage of gaming hardware and industry developments, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog and browse our arcade videos. If collecting inspires a dedicated gaming space, our Arcade Machine Buying Guide explains the key decisions before choosing a cabinet.
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