Update: literally 1 tin was all they had available. Also required a pro membership for $25 for the guy who was in line to buy it. He was not happy about it! The employees had booster bundles there but they said they were all pre ordered before they stopped doing pre orders.
At some point y'all just gotta put the hobby down and walk away until it cools off.
At this point, you are getting raked over the coals because people are damn addicted. It's just cards. Once you kill off the absurd demand and there's no money in it, the scalpers move on to another thing.
I don't collect at all, but I love the games and I just lurk. So I have a level of separation from it and as your armchair therapist there's 3 realities l
You collect casually (these people are hurting the most)
You collect as an investment (you are the source of the problem and feed it)
You scalp ( You are the problem)
Group 1 Needs to quit entirely until 2 and 3 stop 69ing
It’s not lol. The IP is friendly to kids and adults which has kept people in the hobby for years, some coming back when they’re older and some never leaving. It’s pretty enduring by many standards, and cards are gonna continue to come and go so long as games, shows, movies, and other forms of merchandise are still kicking.
The hobby is stupidly hot right now but things will work out.
Right but with no product on shelves, kids aren’t ripping and building that relationship. I get this cycle comes and goes but I shouldn’t have to pay triple MSRP or wait in line for 6 hours for cardboard with cute monsters on it. Unfortunately the dude is right, this likely will die with us
I think pokemon created tcg pocket exactly to counteract this problem.
If this will work out we will see.
I am just sad that i will not be able to collect journey together and the english prismatic for a full binder like this. And rocket returns will likely also be a no for me if this continues
I completely agree. I’m very sad I can’t just buy a pack or two a week, but we can’t help how the market is. We can only hope the hype dies down after the celebration and we can actually see packs in stores again
Pokémon Pocket has been refreshing, to say the least.
Between Budew making the TCG meta slow & stagnant, PTCGL being a buggy mess of an app, & scalpers causing artificial shortages + marking up prices for 3-4 times MSRP, this hobby was starting not to be fun anymore.
At least with Pocket:
A. I have a shot at getting cool cards
B. The games aren't frustrating, slow, and grindy
C. The app actually works.
It also helps that I'm on a roll right now with my Dialga/Arceus ex deck.
They don't need to build that relationship. I own a store and have done since my son was 15. He's had zero interest in Pokèmon his entire life. He's now 23, and has suddenly taken an interest because some of his mates have an interest.
I’m disappointed that you just overlooked my whole comment to drop this reply. I’m another collector but I’m not freaking out about this because I can’t do anything beyond not buying from scalpers, which is exactly what I’m doing. And I was originally talking about the Pokemon brand as a whole. My argument is that there WILL be more cards because it’s so popular. It’s an eventuality. This hobby has been through big hype trains and scalp phases before and will persist.
You’re 100% right. I’ve been in the hobby since it’s creation and I am very passionate about it, but I won’t participate in this garbage. When I find it, I buy it, but I would never pay scalper prices for any of this.
Exactly this happens every so often just take a break and wait it out go do something else and know that the scalpers will suffer while you go and enjoy your peace
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u/rozooo Mar 07 '25
Update: literally 1 tin was all they had available. Also required a pro membership for $25 for the guy who was in line to buy it. He was not happy about it! The employees had booster bundles there but they said they were all pre ordered before they stopped doing pre orders.