Calling all fans of Pokemon–particularly Pokemon cards. If you want to tap into the nostalgia and fun of collecting Pokemon cards, look no further than the Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket (TCGP). Developed by The Pokemon Company, Creatures Inc, DENA CO., and LTD, Pokemon TCGP allows players to amass a collection of Pokemon cards from the convenience of their iOS or Android device. The premise of the app is that you can open a baseline of two packs of 5 Pokemon cards per day. Each type of Pokemon/card has a predetermined probability of showing up in any given pack, with some of the rarest cards having as low as a 0.05% chance to be picked.
Pokemon TCG Pocket exploits the psychological vulnerabilities of Pokemon fans and collectors by disguising gambling mechanics as nostalgic play, using carefully designed randomness and social pressure to create addiction patterns that are particularly harmful because they target the emotional attachment players have to beloved childhood characters.
This exploitation becomes even more insidious when examined through the lens of game design theory. For example, the rarity of certain cards also drives the addictive design in the game. Every few weeks, Pokemon TCGP releases a new pack series with an abundance of new Pokemon cards to collect. Each series has a mix of rare and non-rare cards, rated on a scale of 1-4 diamonds, 1-3 stars, 1-2 shiny, and finally crown. This means there is always a new “rarest” card to collect, because even if you have the rarest card from one pack series, you don’t necessarily have them from the other packs. This creates disguised gambling mechanics derived from randomness. Regardless of your pack, you get 5 cards, most with varying rarity. While most packs won’t have the “best” cards, it is designed so players still feel a sense of excitement from every pack. The game also has an option to “Open a Pack” or to “Open 10 Packs,” encouraging players to open as many cards as possible and hopefully get a rare card. This option allows players to open 10 packs using “hourglasses” which speed up the time until you can open up a pack, or to subsidize with Pokemon Gold, most of which you must pay for. Real money quickly becomes converted into in-game currency, just for the small probability of opening a pack with a card you want.
The game amplifies these gambling-like mechanics through social features that create artificial scarcity and peer pressure. Players can showcase their rarest cards to friends, and the app regularly features limited-time events with exclusive cards that disappear forever if not collected. This Fear of Missing Out design forces players into spending decisions based on artificial deadlines rather than genuine desire. The game also includes a “Wonder Pick” feature where you can see cards that your friends pulled from packs, creating envy and competitive spending. These social mechanics differentiate Pokemon TCGP from solitary gambling by adding a performative element that makes addiction more public and shameful.
Unlike traditional gambling or even other gacha games like Genshin Impact, Pokemon TCGP leverages fantasy as its primary aesthetic—but not the fantasy of adventure or power. Instead, it exploits the fantasy of childhood nostalgia and completion. Where Genshin Impact at least provides gameplay utility for rare characters, Pokemon TCGP’s rarest cards often serve purely as digital trophies, not even serving much functionality in in-game battles. This makes it more psychologically manipulative than games where rare items enhance gameplay mechanics. The formal element of chance becomes weaponized against players’ emotions rather than enhancing strategic depth.
In my own experience, I have definitely recognized how easy it could be to succumb to these pressures. I grew up collecting Pokemon cards and have used the app almost every day for the past several months. I have not personally completed any in-app purchases, but I have considered it several times. I appreciate the fact that there are other ways to collect in-game currency, such as through battles or just waiting. I don’t feel like I am missing out by not spending money, I just get to my goals a little bit slower than someone who is making purchases.
