Pokemon TCG Pocket’s new expansion is a nightmare for free-to-play fans

Pokemon TCG Pocket has unexpectedly revealed a brand new expansion, otherwise known as Shining Revelry, and while it may introduce new Shiny Pokemon, Trading, and tons of new cards — there’s one problem.

If you’ve been playing Pokemon TCG Pocket since launch, you’ll know how tricky it can be to keep up with the latest expansions. The previous five expansions were released every two months, allowing players to unlock the best cards, while also gathering up Pack Points to purchase any missed ‘mons.

However, now the timeframe between expansions has dramatically decreased. Instead of the next set being released on April 30, as many assumed, it’s coming on March 27, less than one month after Triumphant Light.

Shining Revelry will be a disaster for free-to-play

As such, anyone who’s been playing since launch, or is now looking to dive in after spotting the adorable Shiny Charizard will be in for a terrible surprise — as it’s soon going to become difficult to catch up.

Dexerto / The Pokemon Company

Say goodbye to any hourglasses you had been saving up or any Pack Points you’d been working towards, as a brand new meta is about to drop into Pokemon TCG Pocket. This essentially forces players into using all their resources (aside from pack points of course) into grabbing their next viable deck.

Having an expansion release under a month after the last one, which added 96 cards, means any free-to-play fans will find it impossible to keep up with new releases.

In fact, hundreds of players are hoping this is an “April fools joke” and exclaiming that “people can’t exactly get a month break to catch up on old sets when they’re struggling to complete this set too.”

Interstingly, even paid players are claiming that they “can’t keep up” proving just how rough it is out there for free players.

That being said, it’s important to remember that none of the previous expansions will expire, so if you’re still needing a card and want to collect everything, then that’s still entirely possible. If you can resist FOMO or having the most current meta, you’ll be alright. But for those who want it all, this release schedule is going to be rough.