Pokémon TCG Pocket Release Guide - Date, System Requirements, Early Access
The next evolution of the Pokémon TCG is almost here, with Pokémon TCG Pocket set to release and bring the massively popular card game to mobile devices in a completely new format.
With Pokémon cards exclusive to the app, a brand new way to play the card game, and plenty of ways to collect or craft your collection, Pokémon TCG Pocket will change the game. And with such a lofty set of additions to a global TCG, the only thing many players will be looking for is how to get access to the game as quickly as possible.
With Pokémon TCG Pocket fast approaching, here is everything you need to know about when it releases, what platforms you can play it on, and how you can get early access if you can’t wait for the global release.
Note: Pokemon TCG Pocket is not available to play on PC. For PC, players have Pokemon TCG Live. They are separate games and will not share progression or card collections at this time.
When does Pokémon TCG Pocket release?
For players around the world, Pokémon TCG Pocket launches fully on Oct. 30. This follows a month of pre-release testing in specific areas like New Zealand in September.
What Platforms is Pokémon TCG Pocket on?
At launch, Pokémon TCG Pocket will be available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. There is currently no news on if it will also launch on other platforms in the future since it is meant for a casual audience and fully designed for mobile.
Pokémon TCG Live, and its predecessor TCG Online, eventually had playable versions on Apple, Android, and PC—so there is hope for a PC client, though a Nintendo Switch version is unlikely.
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If you want to play TCG Pocket, you will need an iPhone 8 or later running, iOS13 or newer with 2GB or more of RAM available. Likewise, Android users need to run Android 7.0 or newer on 64-bit with 3GB or more of RAM.
What is Pokémon TCG Pocket?
Pokémon TCG Pocket is a game designed to easily let players open digital packs, collect cool art, and compete in a new Pokémon TCG format. In The Pokémon Company’s own words, it is designed to let players “enjoy Pokémon cards anytime, anywhere, on your mobile device!”
For casual fans of Pokémon TCG, this is an easy way to collect cards and play in a digital format that is distinct from the physical or TCG Live versions. And for collectors or hardcore players, TCG Pocket offers cards you can’t find anywhere else and new challenges to tackle.
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How much does Pokémon TCG Pocket cost?
Pokémon TCG Pocket is free to download and can be played at no cost if you want to collect and battle with Pokémon cards. However, there are microtransactions available in-game that you can purchase to get even more goodies.
For example, there is an in-game subscription that you can purchase that will give you an extra card pack per day when you login and more missions to complete for rewards, such as exclusive Promo cards.
How to access Pokémon TCG Pocket early
If you can’t wait for Pokémon TCG Pocket’s full release, you can access it early by creating a new profile on your phone and using a VPN to change your phone’s location to New Zealand. Doing so will let you download the game from your app store of choice and play the game a few days early.
There are other methods too, but they involve downloading from third party sources that might be unreliable.
Just be aware that, regardless of the method, you will want to ensure the app registers your main account and not a different one when you load up. Otherwise, you will likely lose all progress for the game if you need to delete the app or download it again.
