Pokemon TCG Online began in 2011 and is the primary way to play the popular TCG virtually. To the surprise of players around the world, it was announced last week that Pokemon Trading Card Game Online will officially be discontinued after Crown Zenith. While this news certainly comes as a shock, let’s take a look at what it actually means.
As of March 1st, 2023 new Pokemon sets will not be added to PTCGO. This means that Crown Zenith will be the final expansion to be added. Furthermore, the 2023 Standard format rotation and tool card errata will not be applied. Pokemon TCG Online (and the in-game versus ladder) will continue to function until the app is removed from the app store sometime in the future.
There you have it – Crown Zenith will be the final PTCGO set and the platform will die sometime in the future. However, it appears to be shutting down in order to pour resources into a brand-new platform called Pokemon Trading Card Game Live. So, let’s take a look at what this shutdown means for PTCGO players, what we know about Pokemon Live, and where you can find answers to some frequently asked questions.
Why Is The Pokemon Trading Card Game Online Shutting Down?
As mentioned above, it seems like this is an out with the old and in with the new situation. PTCGO as we know it is coming to an end but it is ushering in a new platform called Pokemon Live. Here’s the official announcement.
With the upcoming sunsetting of the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online, no further card set development will be supported in the game as of March 1, 2023. Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith will be the final expansion to be incorporated into the Pokémon TCG Online in order to devote all resources to Pokémon Trading Card Game Live, which is now available in beta to players around the world on iOS and Android devices, as well as on Windows and macOS devices.
The in-game Versus Ladder reward tracks will continue to update leading up to an eventual game sunset, but no further updates will come to the Pokémon TCG Online outside of potential bug fixes. Also, the 2023 Standard format rotation and Pokémon Tool card errata will not be applied in the Pokémon TCG Online.
Pokemon.com
What Is Pokemon Live?
Pokemon Live is the newest way to play virtual Pokemon. As of now, the platform is in beta testing. We know that it is available on Windows, MAC, Ios Mobile, and Android. For more information and development updates visit the official site here.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Will PTCGO Shutdown?
There is no official date set. Whenever Pokemon Live is, well, live, then the Pokemon TCG Online servers will be shut down and it will be removed from app stores.
Can You Still Redeem Codes After March 1st?
Yes. As long as those cards are for products that are supported. So, codes for anything after Crown Zenith won’t work.
Will Progress Made In Pokemon Live Beta Carry Over After Release?
Yes. All progress that players make in the early beta version of the game will carry over to the full global release.
Can I Transfer Items From My PTCGO account to Pokemon live?
Yes, players will be able to transfer items from the old platform to the new one when they first log in. How does this work? Well, it seems that when logging in to Pokemon live, players will be prompted for their Pokémon Trainer Club account information and items will be automatically transferred to Pokémon TCG Live.
A much more comprehensive list of questions and answers can be found at the official Pokemon site here.
Conclusion
People who have played Online Pokemon in the last 12 years are no doubt saddened by this news. It seems that Pokemon as a company would prefer to put the resources from the original platform into this new one. That said, as more updates and information becomes available about Pokemon Live hopefully it proves as awesome as the original was. I suppose only time will tell.
