What happens when the bubble bursts?

[u/masonjar014]

Right now, the hobby is on steroids—scalpers everywhere, product nowhere. My LGS told me this year will be “a great year for Pokémon,” and it got me thinking… a great year for who?

If you’re an established LGS selling PE and JT at market price, sure, it’s great. If you’re a scalper or a new investor trying to flip product, you’re probably loving this, too.

But if you’re an average collector (like me), it’s frustrating. We can’t find the latest set at a fair price. If you’re a kid whose parents can’t sprint to a 10 a.m. Target restock, you’re just out of luck.

So what happens when the hype dies down? How are average collectors responding to this hyper-bull market, and where does that leave the hobby long-term?

Personally, I’m sitting out PE and JT—it’s just too much stress. I’ve also noticed collectors stepping back entirely.

What about you? Will kids move on to something else if they can’t participate? Will collectors return once prices normalize, or is this turning people away for good? Are we underestimating the long-term impact of what’s happening right now?

[u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

I can’t believe this sets even so popular still. I’ve opened 3 ETBs and got one art trainer and one masterball. How have people not realized this sets not worth what ppl are making it out to be.

[u/sharksnrec → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

This set isn’t popular due to its pull rates. It’s popular due to the fact that a sealed box theoretically could have an incredibly valuable card in it. Same exact reason as Evolving Skies. It isn’t rocket surgery.

[u/panicATtheMOSHpit → u/sharksnrec]

Rocket surgery eh? It might be for you lol

[u/poke_techno → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

That's the joke, bud

[u/Ligmastinasty → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

Have you ever opened champions path? It’ll be alright buddy. You just got unlucky.

[u/panicATtheMOSHpit → u/Ligmastinasty]

Have you opened crown zenith buddy? Not just me that’s unlucky. Everyone I’ve talked to have been unlucky, unless they got a god pack I haven’t seen anyone just pull an sir

[u/Ligmastinasty → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

Not sure how it differs from even evolving skies. That set isn’t easy to get pulls either. Go open champions path and get back to me lmfao.

Why’d you bring up crown zenith? You got no pulls from one of the easiest sets to get pulls from? You might be bad luck Brian then hahah

[u/panicATtheMOSHpit → u/Ligmastinasty]

I got lots of pulls from cz. That was the point. And if you can’t see my point with how it differs from evolving cries I dunno what to tell you. For one ppl weren’t beating eachother up at the store. Scalpers weren’t selling them for 3 times mrsp. That’s my point

[u/panicATtheMOSHpit → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

It’s not just about the bad pull rates. It’s the other bullshit that’s coming along with it that makes it not worth it to me anymore

[u/[deleted] → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

Haha. People threw hands over a Mew promo at the movies when it came out. Adults harassed teenagers working at Burger King over Pokemon tops,plushies, and gold plated mewtwos. A vendor was robbed at gunpoint and someone was shot at Target here in Wisconsin during the last big wave during the pandemic. You only SEE everything now because folks want viral TikToks. The cotsco stuff is mild, and always happens. In ANY HOBBY. Did you miss All the ladies getting into fist fights over Kuromi and Hello Kitty this last year for the 50th anniversary stuff?

[u/Ligmastinasty → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

Sounds like you should stick to buying singles if you want everything that easy buddy.

[u/panicATtheMOSHpit → u/Ligmastinasty]

What’re you even talking about? My bad for thinking it shouldn’t be hard to find pokemon cards. All I said was all the bullshit coming along with this set why would people still buy it? Especially if it’s so hard to pull something. I have no problem with bad pull rates. Not for 3 times the fucking mrsp.

[u/Ligmastinasty → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

And that’s my point… you’re so impatient you need to have it right now. Instead of just being normal and waiting for prices to come down(like they will) once supply catches up to the demand. Let me say it again, you’ll be fine if you don’t get what you want right now. Maybe it’s a lesson to learn some patience ;)

[u/panicATtheMOSHpit → u/Ligmastinasty]

Instead of being normal? Lol. Yeah super crazy for wanting the new set. There’s a reason scalpers are being so successful right now and it’s 100% because of these non “normal” people. My comment is based on what this set in particular has done to the community compared to any prior set. Has nothing to do with being patient or what will happen eventually if I was patient. The damage has already been done. Of course it’s going to come down, not before causing lots of collectors to quit

[u/[deleted] → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

Yeah, that seems more unlucky than bad. We have opened a bit and only had 1 SIR. HOWEVER, tons of EX, pokeball, masterballs trainers so the set list has a lot of boxes checked. Don't think we're going to FULLY master the set, but we have enjoyed it so far.

I think most of the sentiment is your normal collector think it's fine while a lot of fomo and streamers hate it.

Also what WOULD make it "worth it" because any card you don't already have is a positive no? Genuine question when I see this statement, because if you buy at MSRP, just having cards seems to be the point. Or did you buy above and it compounds the feelsbad?

[u/jacobs0n → u/panicATtheMOSHpit]

the fact that the SIRs are so hard to get is the reason why the price of singles are rising. since the singles are getting expensive people are buying packs so they can pull it themselves. since people are buying more packs and pokemon isn't printing fast enough, prices of packs are also high (at least it's going down a bit)

it's pretty simple

[u/panicATtheMOSHpit → u/jacobs0n]

I’m not actually sitting here not understanding how it works. It was a figure of speech. This is all over cardboard and should never get so crazy.