What's up fellow TCG enthusiasts?

This is an open discussion about the current state of TCGs (Trading Card Games), and frankly, things aren't looking great for regular players. I started collecting with my kids about 5 years ago, and while we didn't get particularly lucky with pulls, we were having a fantastic time actually playing the games rather than just collecting.

Pokémon was our primary focus, but we ventured into other games too - One Piece, Magic: The Gathering, My Hero Academia, you name it. We even took courses with a Pokémon judge to improve our game. During one session, he shared this prophetic warning:

"You're lucky to play right now, because soon the meta will be stupidly bad."

F&$* Scalpers

I dismissed it at first, but his prediction couldn't have been more accurate. The issue isn't with the game mechanics - it's with the card scalpers and the YouTube hype machine. These so-called "collectors" are artificially inflating demand, hyping sets before release, buying in bulk at pre-order prices, and leaving actual players and families with nothing but inflated resale prices.

The companies attempt to address this with purchase limits, but scalpers simply create multiple accounts to bypass these restrictions. Since Pokémon 151's release, prices have skyrocketed. First, it was the English sets, and now even the Japanese market has seen dramatic increases!

_{Yeah yeah AI Generated...}

FOMO

I've looked into other TCGs, but they're all facing similar issues. I suspect this bubble will burst eventually. I managed to secure two Prismatic Evolution ETBs from the Pokémon Center website, but this might be my last purchase for a while. The upcoming set looks just as problematic, and I refuse to let FOMO drive me to overpay. After all, we're talking about cards, however much we enjoy them.

So, what's your game of choice? Are you still actively playing, and what's your take on its current state? Let's have an honest discussion!

_{TLDR: TCG market is currently overrun with scalpers and artificial hype, making it tough for regular players and collectors.
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