Pokémon TCG Live's open beta pushed to 2022
So they can make it more shiny
The Pokémon trading card game is the one piece of the Pokéverse I've not drowned in, but I do know that its digital version, Pokémon TCG Online, is meant to be lackluster. That's where new iteration Pokémon TCG Live comes in, although you'll have to wait a while longer for it than intended, as it was announced today that its open beta has been delayed until 2022.
They put out the news in a tweet:
To provide Trainers with a more polished experience, the Pokémon TCG Live mobile soft launch in Canada, and global open beta for desktop, have been shifted to 2022.
— Pokémon TCG (@PokemonTCG) November 4, 2021
We’ll have more to share soon on timing for both this testing period and the full launch of Pokémon TCG Live.
Live was announced for PC earlier this year, and the open beta had no more specific a release date than 'later this year'.
Like its predecessor and many other CCGs, you'll be able to translate your physical collection of Pokémon trading cards into TCG Live using digital codes. Some physical cards have already been sent out that have TCG Live branding on them, but in a followup tweet the developer clarified that these are still redeemable in TCG Online.
Notably, you won't be able to trade cards with other players when TCG Live launches, making it an odd trading card game. The new iteration will otherwise bring with it a full range of modern features, including crossplay with mobile platforms, ranked ladder matches, a battle pass, and a lot more.
It feels inevitable that I'm going to spend a lot of time with Pokémon TCG Live, for my son's sake if not my own. He is absolutely obsessed with all things Pokémon and I have bought him a TCG starter set for Christmas. Don't tell him, yeah?
