The world of eSports has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and there are thousands of players around the world who battle it out to reach the top by competing in different games and on different platforms. Among these are some of the most popular phone games, like Clash Royale, which already has a well-established competitive scene.
But of course, Nintendo doesn’t want to be left out in the cold; that’s why they’re offering up their main and most competitive saga, Pokémon, as a candidate to become the next big competitive phenomenon on phones. We’re talking about Pokémon TCG Live.
What is Pokémon TCG Live?
Pokémon TCG Live is simply the video game adaptation of the classic Pokémon trading card game (hence the name, as TCG stands for “Trading Card Game”).
Pokémon TCG Live is not Nintendo’s first venture into this field. If you’re a fan of the genre, you probably know Pokémon TGC Online, a game that’s been active in browsers for years. Well, this new game for phones is the evolution of the browser title that takes the same main idea (Pokémon card battles as they would be played on a table) and updates everything about it.
A new interface, renewed graphics and the possibility of transferring all the content you have in Pokémon TCG Online to Pokémon TCG Live are the main features this work uses to attract players. Plus, even if you’re new, you’ll have nothing to worry about because, contrary to what happens in other games, spending money doesn’t offer any considerable in-game advantages. Thus, you’ll be able to enjoy the title perfectly and still be competitive without spending a dime.
What makes Pokémon TCG Live a worthy eSport candidate?
The answer to this question is very simple: because Pokémon TCG has already proven how well it works.
Pokémon TCG Online has been active for years with a relatively large player base (especially considering it’s a somewhat old-fashioned-looking browser game). Its jump to mobile devices with a native app like this one (though it’s also available on PC) is nothing more than an attempt to reach a larger audience—an expansion of its borders, so to speak.
Pokémon TCG Live has the potential to bring its fun and addictive approach to millions of players around the world. And that can only result in one thing: a larger community, more competition and, eventually, the creation of an entire competitive scene or eSport surrounding the new video game.
Pokémon TCG Live Release Date
Pokémon TCG Live is already available worldwide and you can download it from Uptodown. However, for the time being, this is only a beta version.
Nintendo has confirmed its intention to collect feedback from players who are participating in the beta in order to update the game in the upcoming months and eventually release the final version of the game. This version 1.0 doesn’t have a definite release date yet, but it is expected to be available sometime in 2023.
Naturally, the competitive aspect of the game won’t be fully up and running until Pokémon TCG Live reaches version 1.0. So, although it is possible to play and try out different strategies, the more eSports-oriented side of the game will have to wait at least a few months.
Pokémon TCG Live minimum requirements
The official minimum requirements currently available are based on the game’s current beta phase. It is possible (and quite likely) that with future updates, these requirements will also change:
Minimum requirements
- Android Phone: Samsung Galaxy S7
- Android Tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2016)
- Memory: Ram > 2 GB
- Operating system: Android 8
- Texture compression: Adaptive Scalable Texture Compression or ASTC (must have OpenGL3.0+ and GL_KHR_texture_compression_astc_ldr extension)
Recommended specifications
- Android Phone: Samsung Galaxy S7
- Android Tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2016)
- Memory: Ram > 2 GB
- Operating system: Android 8
- Texture compression: Adaptive Scalable Texture Compression or ASTC (must have OpenGL3.0+ and GL_KHR_texture_compression_astc_ldr extension)
Translated by Sarah Odebralski
