Pokémon TCG Pocket: $12 Million in Four Days, Free-to-Play But Wants Your
genji 
Pokémon TCG Pocket: $12 Million in Four Days, Free-to-Play But Wants Your
Pokémon TCG Pocket: $12 Million in Four Days, Free-to-Play But Wants Your Money
Pokémon TCG Pocket, the new smartphone version of the classic Pokémon trading card game, is off to a strong start. AppMagic reports the game has reached 12 million downloads worldwide and earned $12.1 million in its first four days.
A Lucrative Start
Japan, Pokémon’s home turf, accounts for 45 percent of the game’s earnings so far. The United States is the second-largest market, contributing 25 percent of the app store revenue.
Pokémon TCG Pocket’s success is driven by its focus on opening card packs. Players can unlock a faster version of the traditional card game as well.
Free-to-Play, But…
The game is free-to-play, but it offers numerous microtransactions to incentivize spending. Players can open up to two card packs per day for free, but additional packs can be purchased for real money.
- Players can spend money to reduce the wait for new packs and cards.
- Cosmetic options allow customization of digital card folders, playmats, and coins.
As Eurogamer’s Lottie Lynn wrote: “There’s one inescapable truth about TCG Pocket though – it is free-to-play, and it wants your money.”
