Players protest over the paid shiny Mewtwo card in Pokémon TCG Pocket

The arrival of the Brilliant Festival expansion to Pokémon TCG Pocket, the new title for mobile devices, sparked a wave of excitement among fans... until an exclusive and paid shiny Mewtwo card provoked a strong negative reaction in the community.

Available on iOS and Android, the game is presented as a promising preview of what's to come with Pokémon Legends Z-A, the next big release for Nintendo Switch and its future successor.

Shiny Mewtwo: exclusive, promotional, and expensive

The controversy erupted when users discovered that the desired shiny Mewtwo card can only be obtained by purchasing a promotional pack that costs 22.99 euros. This includes pokélingots and other cosmetic items, but there is no other way to obtain the card, not even through prolonged play or special events.

"We want to complete the collection without spending money, and this makes it impossible," protest players on social media.

The card is categorized as Promo, which means it won't appear in traditional packs, not even in the shiny packs that introduced shiny Pokémon. The measure was perceived as a paywall that contradicts the promise of accessibility that usually accompanies Pokémon mobile titles.

Fears of excessive monetization

So far, neither DeNA nor The Pokémon Company have issued an official statement in response to the growing discontent. Players fear that this practice will become a systematic strategy, setting a precedent where the most exclusive or desired cards can only be obtained with real money.

"This is not what we expected from a digital collectible card game," commented several fans on specialized forums.

It should be noted that the studio has shown the ability to react to previous criticisms, as was recently the case with changes to the trading system, implemented after community feedback. However, this time, the discussion revolves around the ethics of limiting the free collection experience, one of the historical pillars of the Pokémon card game.

Meanwhile, Pokémon TCG Pocket continues to grow in popularity and expand its user base, but this controversy could mark a turning point in the relationship with its most loyal community.