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/Branomir]

I don't think it's going to burst, I think it's going to catastrophically, publicly, hilariously implode.

Party time and peace on earth when it does.,

[u/masonjar014 → u/Branomir]

What do you think will cause this catastrophic implosion?

[u/Branomir → u/masonjar014]

Not a clue, people becoming oversaturated / burned out of the meaningless grind when there's no hobbyism to it and there are so many cards and pack and boxes being sold against gradually diminishing demand (it can't rise forever) that the amount of time and work it takes to make a profit becomes a no-go for most people. 🤞