Pokémon TCG Pocket dethrones Pokémon Go as it celebrates first anniversary and $1.3bn

• Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket launched on October 30th, 2024.
• The game was among 2024's most successful mobile launches and is now the highest-earning mobile Pokémon game based on year-one revenue.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket celebrates its first anniversary today after catching plenty of accolades during its first full trip around the sun.

From lightning-fast success at launch that helped boost DeNA’s games segment sales by more than 8,000%, to a successful mobile formula keeping revenue flowing long-term, this latest Pokémon phenomenon has earned almost $1.3 billion to date.

According to AppMagic estimates, which look at Google Play and App Store data, this means TCG Pocket had the most lucrative first year of any mobile Pokémon game in history, even outperforming Pokémon Go.

2016’s geolocation sensation also surpassed $1bn in its first year, but fell approximately $245 million short of Pocket.

The very best, like no one ever was

By blending 90s nostalgia, the power of playground rumours, and modern mobile innovations, TCG Pocket has rocketed from milestone to milestone.

It has seen continued downloads over its first year - from 10m installs in three days, to 100m in four months, and most recently hitting 150m in time for the anniversary. It has also picked up various awards including Game of the Year at the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025. As a result of the game's success, DeNA ranked third in PocketGamer.biz's Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 list.

Furthermore, The Pokémon Company, DeNA and Creatures Inc. have evidently landed on a monetisation model that brings players back repeatedly, with new cards released at the end of every month and a paid subscription offering an additional "free" pack of cards every day.

November 2024 remains the game’s most lucrative period at $229.3 million, followed by December 2024 and March 2025. TCG Pocket was also Japan’s top-earning game this Golden Week.

Its most lucrative single day was February 1st, when Pocket generated $11.2m. This followed days after the first major expansion, Space-Time Smackdown, added more than 200 new cards and broadened TCG Pocket’s appeal to a newer generation of players. In the process, Pocket spiked its way out of its first notable revenue slump.

After the launch set Genetic Apex focused exclusively on the original 151 Pokémon, and the small booster Mythical Island continued the Kanto theme, Space-Time Smackdown jumped forward to 2006’s DS titles Diamond and Pearl.

Emphasis on Pokémon’s different eras only continued as the year went on, such as the Celestial Guardians expansion focusing on 3DS games Sun and Moon, and Wisdom of Sea and Sky focusing on the GameBoy Color’s Gold and Silver.

Plenty to celebrate

Now, as TCG Pocket’s first anniversary celebration gets underway, the latest expansion adds the fan-favourite mechanic Mega Evolution, which re-entered the spotlight in Switch title Pokémon Legends: ZA earlier this month.

Pocket’s celebration also includes multiple events, special events, and extra booster packs as a log-in bonus. Among the most successful mobile releases in recent years, its battle to be the very best is likely to continue in year two.