The Pokémon Firm revealed a brand new digital card accumulating recreation referred to as Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket on Tuesday. After the reveal, followers on-line expressed concern that the sport would comprise non fungible tokens (NFTs). Nevertheless, it now seems to be like NFTs gained’t play any half within the new recreation. In an announcement issued to Polygon, a consultant of the Pokémon Firm mentioned it has “not developed or approved” any Pokémon NFTs.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is a brand new recreation from the Pokémon Firm, Creatures Inc., and DeNA, the builders of Pokémon Masters EX. We solely received a primary trailer on Monday, however it’s already clear the sport will closely emphasize digital card accumulating. Due to this, followers puzzled if these digital card collectibles might be bought as NFTs. One individual referred to as the brand new recreation an “NFT scam” and one other mentioned that the builders made “Pokémon NFTs in 2024.”
Polygon reached out to the Pokémon Firm to hunt clarification of the event crew’s plans. In response, a consultant instructed Polygon that the corporate “has not developed or approved of Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) related to the Pokémon brand and associated intellectual property” and that any NFTs being bought with Pokémon’s mental property “are unofficial and in no way affiliated with The Pokémon Company International or the Pokémon brand.”
You may learn the complete assertion beneath:
The Pokémon Firm Worldwide has not developed or authorized of Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) associated to the Pokémon model and related mental property. Followers ought to be conscious that any NFTs within the market that includes Pokémon mental property are unofficial and under no circumstances affiliated with The Pokémon Firm Worldwide or the Pokémon model.
The thought of NFTs in a Pokémon recreation is an odd one. Certain, loads of recreation firms have tried to search out methods to include NFTs into video games and invested within the expertise, however total NFTs in video games have been a bust. Followers of video games have rejected NFTs, and the broader crypto market that propped up NFTs also crashed. On high of all of that, NFTs’ want for blockchain expertise would offer logistical challenges to improvement and looks like a mismatched match for a family-friendly model like Pokémon.
Additionally, in the long run, it’s simply pointless. Online game builders don’t want NFTs to create useful and restricted digital gadgets — simply take a look at how a lot folks will spend on cosmetics in any live-service recreation. The builders have not revealed many particulars of the monetization mannequin for this recreation, however we all know that Pocket will probably be a free-to-play recreation and gamers can open “two booster packs every day at no cost,” the discharge mentioned.
My private guess is that Pocket could have in-game purchases the place folks should purchase extra packs of playing cards to attempt to get a coveted card, identical to followers do IRL. And identical to in actual life, folks is perhaps prepared to spend exorbitant quantities to get the glowing playing cards of their favourite Pokémon.
