If you have been stuck to your phone opening packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket, you are not the only one, and once you start chasing rare immersive cards it is hard to stop, especially when you find a good stash of pokemon tcg pocket items that keep things moving. The downside hits the moment that pack timer pops up and tells you to wait again, which can kill the mood right after a good pull. That is where redemption codes come in. They sit in this nice space between free play and spending a ton of cash, and when you use them well, your collection grows a lot faster than just logging in a couple of times a day.
McDonald's Hourglass Promo
One of the big things people are talking about right now is the upcoming McDonald's tie in. From January 21, 2025, if you order a Happy Meal through the McDonald's app, you will want to check your inbox afterwards instead of just tossing the receipt. They are sending out unique gift codes that you can redeem for Hourglasses in Pokemon TCG Pocket. If you have played for more than a day or two, you already know that Hourglasses are basically time skips for your packs, cutting down that wait so you can rip more boosters in one sitting. It turns a quick fast food run into a low key grind session, and a lot of players are already planning to grab a meal just for that extra bit of pack speed.
Where Codes Usually Come From
Outside of special crossovers, most people still get their codes from physical Pokemon TCG products. Those white and green cards that used to end up in the bin are not useless at all, and long time players now pick through the wrapping just to make sure they did not miss one. Most of the time those codes are still aimed at Pokemon TCG Live, but it is worth keeping an eye on official newsletters, social posts, and event pages, because that is where limited time Pocket related rewards tend to appear. A lot of players miss out simply because they did not scan a QR code on stream or their promo email landed in spam and sat there for days.
How Redemption Actually Works
If you are new to Pokemon TCG Pocket, the whole redeeming part can feel a bit strange because there is no obvious button inside the app yet. You can open the shop, check bundles, scroll around, and still not see a simple "enter code" field, which throws people off. Right now you usually need to head to an official redemption website in your browser, log into the account you actually play on, and punch in the code there. It is a different flow from Pokemon TCG Live, where you can just hop into the shop tab, scan a QR code with your camera, and be done in a few seconds. Double check your login details before you hit submit, otherwise you might send your rewards to an old or wrong account and support will not always fix that.
Spending, Trading And Staying Organised
When you start thinking about building a real deck instead of just opening whatever comes your way, free codes will only carry you so far and you may end up buying in game currency or specific cards directly. It is the quickest way to chase a key rare when the pull rates are not going your way and you are tired of waiting on timers. Just make sure you keep your code cards together in one place, take photos if you are forgetful, and do not scratch them until you are ready to redeem so you do not lose track. A lot of players mix in purchased currency, promo rewards, and even third party options like buying game currency or items in u4gm to smooth out the grind while still enjoying the rush of opening packs.
