Did Playrix reduce free coins in Gardenscapes? Explore how the 16th Card Collection set and fewer Gold Cards may have changed player rewards.
For a long time, the Card Collection was one of the best ways for active Gardenscapes players to build a large coin reserve. Completing multiple collection phases often rewarded dedicated players with tens of thousands of coins, making it much easier to deal with difficult levels without constantly running out of resources.
Over the past few Card Collection events, however, the system appears to have shifted. Most side events no longer offer card packs containing Gold Cards, removing one of the fastest ways to complete rare sets. As a result, finishing collections now depends much more on luck and player-to-player trading, especially after the extra 16th card set changed the final stretch of the event.
At the same time, Playrix introduced a 16th card set that unlocks after the main collection is completed. Instead of finishing the event after completing the original sets, players now have an extra stage to work through before reaching the highest rewards.
Individually, each of these changes may not seem dramatic. Together, however, they significantly slow overall progression. Completing the entire Card Collection now requires more time, more duplicate exchanges, and much better luck with card packs than before.
The biggest consequence is the reduction in coin rewards. Under the previous system, many active players were able to complete several reward phases and collect tens of thousands of coins during a single Card Collection event. With the addition of the 16th set and the disappearance of Gold Card rewards from most events, many players may now reach only the first reward phase worth 10,000 coins before the event ends.
This change becomes even more noticeable because many players already feel that levels require more boosters and more coins than they did in the past. When spending increases while one of the game's biggest sources of free coins becomes much harder to complete, the overall in-game economy feels considerably tighter.
Gold Cards were important not only because they were rare, but because they accelerated progress through the collection. Removing them from event rewards naturally slows completion and makes duplicate Gold Cards feel even more frustrating when players are already missing specific cards.
Playrix has not officially explained the reason behind these changes, so it is impossible to know whether they are part of a broader balancing strategy. However, the practical result is clear: earning large amounts of free coins through the Card Collection has become significantly more difficult than it was before.
That matters because the Card Collection is no longer just a side event. It has become part of the wider reward economy, and every reduction in its value connects directly with the game's economy changes over time.
Have you noticed the same trend? Do you think the Card Collection has become much less rewarding than it used to be?
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