A new Pokemon trading card game is coming to PC and mobile

The Pokémon Company has announced that a playable, online version of the Pokémon Trading Card Game will be arriving for PC and mobile via an official free-to-play mobile app called TCG Live.

Nine years after the launch of Pokémon TCG Online (an app that's often been afflicted with UI issues and compatibility woes) the new Pokémon TCG Live is due to replace the aging app.

TCG Live will let you play online on across PC, Mac, Android and iOS – similarly to its predecessor – and it will use the same digital codes to purchases from the real world to the app (so don't worry about your hard-earned IRL boosters not being compatible with the app). Any collections you have in the previous game can also be imported (though you'll only be able to play Standard cards at launch, with an Expanded update later. Legacy cards aren't supported, full stop).

Additionally to the features being imported from the previous game, this new version of the online TCG app will also include online matchmaking and battle passes, alongside a fancy new character customisation system to boot.

Specialist Pokémon site Serebii notes that you will not be able to trade in the game.

You're going to have to wait a little longer until you can get your hands on the TCG app, though. The company has announced that TCG Live will soft launch in Canada before launching globally for PC and Mac later this year, with cross-platform play included from the off.

The old app, Pokémon TCG Online, will go offline once TCG Live launches.