Pokemon TCG Pocket's current enlargement, Shining Revelry, simply dropped this week. And whereas followers are having fun with the brand new line-up of shiny Pokemon playing cards in all the colours of the rainbow, there's one which's inflicting some division: a shiny Mewtwo ex card that's solely obtainable to gamers who pay $23 in actual money.
Here's what's happening: Mewtwo ex is a card that already exists within the game in a number of varieties. It was added within the very first set, Genetic Apex, which has a "regular" model, an "immersive rare" model with Mewtwo bursting out of containment, and a "gold crown" model of Mewtwo in opposition to a gold background. All three variations have the very same strikes and energy ranges, so in a match, it doesn't matter which one you utilize. But they're all various levels of uncommon, so for individuals who wish to "catch 'em all" so to talk, it's vital to trace down all three.
The Mewtwo ex in query right here is one other model of that very same card, with the identical results. The distinction is a beauty one: this Mewtwo ex is a "shiny", so it's inexperienced as an alternative of pinkish, and has a completely different background. However, it additionally takes up a separate slot in your card assortment within the new Shining Revelry enlargement, that means collectors need it in the event that they wish to 100% full their assortment.
Here he’s, in all his shiny glory:
Unfortunately, the cardboard is simply obtainable by means of one method: by paying $22.99 in actual money for a store bundle containing Poke Gold, a bunch of different Mewtwo-themed beauty gadgets (like a coin, a playmat, and so on), and the cardboard itself. There's no different technique to get it, not by means of packs or Wonder Pick or anything.
Some gamers usually are not reacting nicely to the information.
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Their frustration is comprehensible. Pokemon TCG Pocket has been out for a number of months now and has gone by means of 4 completely different expansions of various sizes, in addition to a number of occasions. While gamers who pay actual money have up til now had sure benefits in phrases of how quick they will grow their collections and different beauty rewards, that is the primary time a card has been locked behind a gold bundle paywall. What's more, it's a bundle that's value far more than the cardboard by itself presumably could be, because it contains different gadgets like currency.
That stated, some followers are rolling their eyes a bit on the controversy. Several have identified that the cardboard is only beauty – it doesn't do something completely different from the opposite Mewtwo exes you may receive, and should you don't toggle on a sure option in your settings, you may't even see it's lacking out of your assortment. Others are declaring that previously, sure different promo playing cards have been locked behind having a Premium membership, which is itself a month-to-month paid subscription (albeit $12/mo, with different advantages).
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Probably the most important concern from gamers, although, is the slippery slope of all of it. If Pokemon TCG Pocket is prepared to gate a Mewtwo ex this fashion, will it gate different playing cards? What if the game finally begins locking model new playing cards with new results behind paywalls, successfully requiring gamers to pay money if they need that particular impact of their decks? Even although there's no signal of that occuring simply but, some are nonetheless involved that, with time, it could.
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IGN reached out to The Pokemon Company for touch upon this alteration, the criticism, and the likelihood of future playing cards being behind paywalls.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can discover her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to [email protected].