Pokémon TCG Pocket has seen its average monthly active user count fall from 39 million during the same period last year to 23 million in the latest April-June quarter. That is a difference of 16 million users, and DeNA says it plans new events and promotions to bring players back more often.
The decline came alongside a difficult quarter for DeNA. The company reported revenue of 12.12 billion yen, down 33.2% year over year, while profits fell 62.0% to 3.826 billion yen.
DeNA plans events to bring players back
DeNA accepted responsibility for the game’s weaker performance and outlined corrective measures aimed at improving login frequency, player retention, and overall engagement. Events and promotions will form the core of that response.
The company has not detailed the individual campaigns or provided dates for those plans. For now, players are waiting to see whether the changes will offer more variety than the current monthly routine.
Players criticize repetitive events and trading limits
Players discussed the figures in a Reddit thread about the 16-million-user drop, with many pointing to repetitive content as a major reason for losing interest.
Complaints included seasonal emblems that mainly change color, recurring logos on promotional cards, and restrictions around trading. Players also criticized the cost and awkward process of trading cards, poor pull rates, repetitive Wonder Pick activities, and the number of confirmation screens in the user interface.
The predictable event cycle drew similar criticism. Players mentioned recurring activities such as Community Week, promotional events, Chansey card events, and Ranked play as content that no longer gives them much reason to return. One player said they had gone from opening packs and battling each day to skipping the app on most days.
Battle-focused players also raised concerns about EX card odds, saying the rates make it difficult to build new decks. That complaint ties the player decline to both the event schedule and the game’s card-collection systems.
Ruler of the Skies has not ended the content fatigue
The game’s current B4 major expansion is Ruler of the Skies, which is headlined by Mega Rayquaza. The set has received praise for its artwork and includes EX and Trainer cards with relevance to the current metagame.
Even with a new expansion available, the routine around progression has left many players tired of the same activities. DeNA’s planned events and promotions will now have to give players a stronger reason to log in and keep opening packs.
Share your thoughts on Pokémon TCG Pocket’s player decline and DeNA’s planned changes in the comments. For future updates, follow along on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
