Pokemon TCG Pocket has some big plans for its January release schedule, including a new expansion, special events, and the introduction of trading.
Since its release in late October last year, Pokemon TCG Pocket has dominated the mobile gaming space, finally bringing the action of the Pokemon Trading Card game to mobile devices for gamers on the go.
With the release of the next mainline Pokemon game (Pokemon Legends Z-A) expected for 2025, fans itching for their fix of the iconic tamable monsters will have no lack of things to things to do.
What Do We Know About Pokemon TCG's January Schedule?
Pokemon TCG Pocket Will Release These Events in January
Thus far, in its relatively young life, Pokemon TCG Pocket has offered its player base several major events to partake in.
These allow users to complete specific challenges to earn in-game rewards like special promotional cards, various cosmetic items, and even (at times) packs for players to open.
January looks to be no exception here, with several in-game events set for release over the next month or so.
Included in Pokemon TCG Pocket's event calendar for January are special events centered on Psychic-type Pokemon, fan-favorite creatures Charmander and Squirtle, as well as a special promotion for the newly introduced Mythical Island card set.
Two events are currently ongoing as of writing (the Blastoise Solo Battle and Charmander and Squirtle Wonder Pick Events). Two others have leaked online (via PTCGPocket) — the Mythical Island SP Emblem Event and Psychic Pokemon Mass Outbreak (Mew EX) events.
Below is a full event schedule for Pokemon TCG Pocket in January:
- January 1 - January 15 - Blastoise Solo Battle (Promo Pack A Series Vol. 3)
- January 8 - January 22 - Charmander and Squirtle Wonder Pick Event
- January 20 - January 27 - Mythical Island SP Emblem Event
- January 23 - January 29 - Psychic Pokemon Mass Outbreak (Mew EX)
A New Trading Card Set Will Release at the End of the Month
A new set of cards is set to debut sometime in January in Pokemon TCG Pocket.
This comes only weeks after the game saw its first additional card set, Mythical Island, debut in early December.
The new set has been dubbed by the community as A2, with not much information outside of that having been made public.
Some have speculated that because the game's first set (A1) put such a focus on the Kanto region of Pokemon Red and Blue, the A2 set could enter around the second generation of the series, primarily including cards from the Johto region (as seen in Pokemon Silver and Gold).
This means Gym leader cards for characters like Morty, Jasmine, or Clair could arrive with the new set as well as potential legendary Pokemon like Ho-oh or Lugia.
According to a rumor from PTCGPocket, the new set could also introduce a new rarity to the game, known as Rainbow rarity. This would be a new tier of ultra-rare chase cards for players to go after, like some of the secret hyper-rare cards seen in the physical game.
A release date for the new set has not yet been made available, but it is rumored to be released on Wednesday, January 29.
Pokemon Card Trading Will Be Added in January
January will also see the release of one of Pokemon TCG Pocket's most in-demand features.
Since launch, players have been able to live out their mobile Pokemon collecting dreams, being able to open packs, make decks, and battle other players; however, one key missing aspect of the TCG experience has been absent... trading.
That will not be for long though, as the Pokemon TCG Pocket development team confirmed trading will arrive sometime in January.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the official Pokemon TCG Pocket account shared a message in mid-November, disclosing "We are aiming to add a feature that allows certain cards to be traded starting in January 2025:"
"Today we would like to announce new content planned to be released in a future major update.
To begin with, we plan to add new booster packs by the end of the year. In addition, we are aiming to add a feature that allows certain cards to be traded starting in January 2025. We are planning to gradually expand the selection of cards that are able to be traded.
Also, we have other new features in development outside of the trade feature introduced here. We plan to announce more details about the update as the dates for the addition of these features are finalized, so please look forward to it."
It is unclear how trading will work in the mobile game, but it has been made clear that not all cards will be eligible to be traded, likely meaning some of the game's rarest cards will be exempt from being passed from player to player.
One can assume, given the game's free-to-play game trappings (mimicking some of the a la carte payment practices of a game like Marvel Rivals) that these trades will not come free, likely requiring some level of currency for trade to take place.
Pokemon TCG Pocket is now available on iOS and Android.
