TOKYO, Nov 15 — The thrill of collecting Pokémon cards is back, but this time, it’s gone digital — and it’s taking the world by storm.
According to The Japan Times, since its October 30 launch, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, or Poke Poke, has redefined the card game craze for the mobile era, racking up over 30 million downloads worldwide as of Monday.
The app isn’t just a game; it’s a revival of the classic thrill of discovery and competition, now accessible to players anytime, anywhere, as it climbs to the top of Japan’s iOS and Android app charts.
The Japan Times reported that based on data from AppMagic, developer DeNA has earned over US$50 million (RM224 million) from the game, in just two weeks. The game is free to download but charges apply for premium features. DeNA’s stock price also saw a spike when it announced the game earlier this year.
While gaining traction in countries like the US and South Korea and cities like Hong Kong, 43 per cent of the game’s revenue has come from Japan, even though Japanese users represent only around 5 per cent of the total downloads. The paper notes this suggests a willingness to spend more to score rare digital cards.
Popular Japanese YouTubers, including Hajime Syacho and Hikakin, have also contributed to the hype by sharing videos of themselves spending top dollar to open multiple packs in search of rare cards. The videos have amassed over 1.9 million views in less than two weeks and nearly 1 million views in just four days, respectively.
Currently, there are over 300 cards with different rarity levels can be collected. Players receive a free pack of five cards every 12 hours, with the option to buy additional packs for around ¥170 (RM4.90) each, and you can buy up to 120 packs daily.
These digital cards echo the appeal of physical Pokémon cards where elusive finds keep players coming back.
DeNA plans to release new card packs by year-end and introduce a trading feature in January, allowing players to exchange cards. The game’s second element involves building decks to battle friends, AI, or random online opponents, following the traditional Pokémon card game rules.
This mobile game rides on the wave of renewed interest in Pokémon card collecting, which saw card stores targeted by burglars and cards sold for up to ¥50 million last year.
The app joins Pokémon’s line-up of successful mobile games, following the release of the equally successful Pokémon Sleep last year.
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