Fewer Pokémon followers are ripping into digital booster packs in Pokémon TCG Pocket than they had been a 12 months in the past, with the hit cell recreation seeing an enormous drop within the variety of month-to-month gamers.
The cardboard-collecting cell recreation averaged round 23 million month-to-month energetic customers between April and June 2026, in keeping with the latest financial reports from DeNA, which co-develops and operates the sport alongside different firms. That is down from round 39 million throughout the identical interval final 12 months, in keeping with Japanese gaming industry site Gamebiz — a drop of roughly 41%.
DeNA appears to gradual the participant decline
The decline would not seem like accelerating, although. DeNA stated the sport averaged 24 million month-to-month energetic customers within the earlier quarter, that means it misplaced round a million month-to-month gamers quarter-on-quarter. The corporate is now centered on initiatives to get gamers logging in additional ceaselessly, enhance retention and encourage extra exercise.
That might imply giving gamers extra causes to examine in frequently by limited-time occasions, new card units, particular booster packs, login rewards, aggressive occasions or enhancements to options resembling buying and selling. DeNA hasn’t revealed what these initiatives will embody, however particularly pointed to occasions and promotions as a part of its plans.
The sport’s newest card set, Ruler of the Skies, was launched in late July, including a brand new batch of playing cards to gather. The enlargement is headlined by Mega Rayquaza ex, alongside different new Mega Evolution playing cards together with Mega Gallade ex and Mega Metagross ex.
The falling participant depend can be displaying up in DeNA’s monetary outcomes. Its video games enterprise generated $76.88 million in income in the course of the quarter, down 33% from $114.98 million a 12 months earlier, whereas revenue from the division dropped 62% from $64.16 million to $24.14 million. DeNA stated Pokémon TCG Pocket was the primary cause for the year-over-year change.
Why aren’t gamers ripping packs?
There are many theories amongst gamers about why some individuals could also be shedding curiosity, though DeNA hasn’t pinned the decline on any specific a part of the sport.
One recurring grievance is the issue of pulling rarer playing cards. Following DeNA’s newest outcomes, some gamers once more referred to as for higher pull charges, whereas others have complained about repeatedly opening packs crammed with playing cards they already personal.
Buying and selling has additionally been a supply of frustration because it was launched in January 2025. The builders have since overhauled elements of the system — together with scrapping the unpopular Commerce Tokens — however restrictions stay, together with solely with the ability to commerce with mates and limits round which playing cards could be exchanged.
Gamers have additionally referred to as for different quality-of-life adjustments, together with higher methods to cope with duplicate playing cards and extra flexibility across the pack factors earned from opening boosters.
Even after shedding greater than 40% of its month-to-month viewers over the previous 12 months, Pokémon TCG Pocket is hardly struggling for gamers. With round 23 million individuals nonetheless logging in every month, DeNA’s problem now could be holding that vast remaining viewers opening packs frequently.