Why is Pokemon and PSA a perfect fit and so important to each other’s success? Joe answers that question very well below.
"In my opinion, the biggest challenge we have as an industry is keeping our endeavor appealing to future generations. The reality is that many kids growing up today are not having the same experience or the same level of exposure to collectibles that some of us did when we were growing up. So, it’s our job to find ways of staying relevant and to make sure we can connect with the younger crowd. People are born every day with what many people refer to as the collecting gene. We just need to find a way to tap into that in a more effective way as we move forward.
“In the late-1990s, a new trading card game took the U.S. by storm. It was called Pokémon. The kids that were playing that game during that period are now around 30 years old today. Last year (2016 actually), PSA graded over 136,000 Pokémon cards alone. Pokémon cards are to a whole generation what baseball cards may have been to you and me. There’s always another generation of collectors. It’s up to all of us to find ways of introducing new people to what our hobby has to offer.”
Now what do our E4 members think is the next Pokémon!
Everything is digital now so there aren’t many toy phenomena, just the occasional fad: like fidget spinners. I think the kids enjoying hyper rare Charizards today will enjoy collecting them 15-20 years from now. The problem is the high volume in print runs. Prices will probably be lower. A LOT lower.
Crypto kitties, just kidding, everything is digital for the younger generation and a clear example would be hearthstone, the only thing of value that could exist as a collectible that has a finite supply and steady rise in value would have to be in crypto.
I think whatever collectible will replace Pokémon as a mainstream collectible TCG (of the same comparable qualities) doesn’t exist yet. It may not for a while- time wil tell!
There can’t ever be another Pokemon, Pokemon is so huge and has been so huge (and more importantly influential) for so long it’s reached it’s own level of what a pop culture IP can achieve. Much like Mario.
Dragonball Super is very popular amongst younger kids and also has the advantage of getting old fans of Dragonball Z into it as well. When kids are into something it’s always a positive for the health and growth of the hobby. Final Fantasy TCG has a much older demographic and as much as I love collecting it I don’t think it has nearly as much potential as DBS.
Did you know Beyblade has come back now? I had an Aunty asking me if I knew anything about Beyblade because her grandson(my 2nd cousin) is super into it…crazy.
There simply won’t be another TCG that’s collected as widely as Pokemon is.
Physical TCGs simply will never command the market share of children’s attention that Pokemon was able to in the early 2000s.
Physical TCGs have reached their peak imo. New blood isn’t really coming into MtG and Yu-Gi-Oh! and while Pokemon product might be opened on a mass scale new product isn’t collected by serious collectors like NBA and NFL cards are and the organised play aspect is dwarfed by even Final Fantasy, FoW, Dragon Ball Super and Vanguard when it comes to getting people into a store to play these games.
In a world where attention is split, trends expire quicker than ever, there’s more options to choose from and TCGs are extremely unappealing to children considering an iPad does more and games are cheaper I think Pokemon/MtG?Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are the last of a declining trend, that is physical collectables.
Mass production, anything being labelled as a “collector’s edition” simply not holding up to that name and a declining interest of a younger audience who opts for video games is really what’s going to kill collecting.
Hi. I guess, I’m much older than most of you…being 40ish…but (because of me no doubt), my family are very much a Nintendo family. Sure they’re into Pokemon Go, but all 3 kids have their 3DSes…my daughter loves Animal Crossing, while my boys (10+) love Pokemon. BUT WE ALL love and collect Pokemon TCG so there is hope for the future!
Often they themselves can become quite snooty (snobbish For example if we had some special Pokemon Centre gifts to share with some of their friends - they’d often remark and differentiate between friends who “only” play Pokemon Go and “TRUE” Pokemon friends who (also) collect TCG, watch cartoons and /or have the 3DS games.
I think the digital threat is super real though…I do worry personally about our collection and/or even “investment” compared to my (and my Dad’s) extensive Comic collection that is essentially quite worthless these days
Still I love the passion and detail in this community. Thanks everyone.
I would say card games aren’t necessarily going to die, but I do believe the physical aspects of it will. I’ve followed Hearthstone since it’s inception by Blizzard, from its announcement, to alpha, to beta, and so forth. It has such a success for many reasons, but one of the big appeals to the game is that it’s played online, without the hassle of a person leaving the comfort of their home. This extends to travel and other periods in which one couldn’t partake in a physical TCG, but could play one that covers a designated region. I tried to get into Magic at one point, but the physical aspect gated me per say, as I didn’t enjoy having my hours of play restricted due to the physical necessity of the game. Contributing to the eventual departure I went through in regards to MTG, I found I was forced to be around other people who might not make me experience as comfortable as it might be from home or something. I found I would prefer being in a voice call with friends if I was going to have interaction than sitting in a room surrounded by people who I didn’t really enjoy being around only because that was the only playing space available to myself or friends.
I know this is getting a little off topic but the point I’m trying to make is I think there will be a community who enjoy the prospect of collecting the Pokemon TCG and reminiscing on what made their childhood so enjoyable, or even their adulthood. I would say that Pokemon isn’t going to be dying, it has become this massive pop culture identity that it’s extremely unlikely it’ll be toppling, at least while any of us are around. I would however point out that other card games amass a much larger following now, at least in regards to a competitive scene than Pokemon does or any other physical card game for that matter. Hearthstone does extremely well on Twitch. Gwent did alright for a period too. The reason for Pokemon’s Online TCG not doing so well I feel is the childish and apparently cheap art style of the game rivalled with something such as hearthstone. I know the topic is about Pokemon remaining a staple in future generations, which I feel it will given the numbers and popularity of the franchise. I just think it could be marketed a little better towards keeping fans involved as they get older. I think Pokemon Origins was an excellent way of doing this, not only because it had nostalgia relating to when people played Red and Blue, but also because it had a bit more of a mature art style I thought. Other people I spoke to thought the same. I also feel the competitive scene could be grown as well, in what way though I am unsure.
Sorry for rambling,
TLDR; Pokemon isn’t going anywhere, it’ll likely stay around for future generations. I just think it could use some touching up around the edges to keep audiences invested as they get older. At its core though it is a franchise aimed at children and it would be hard to rebrand or conceptualise a way for older audiences to be kept in contact to the extent children are.
The Pokémon company, Konami and WotC are probably really scared of an online version of their games that’s actually got a competitive community behind it like Hearthstone does cannibalising their paper games.
Ironically though, the future of all these IPs is digital.
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Perhaps as things do become increasingly digital, the collectible scene will become even more niche than it already is. I think things will still be made, such as trading cards, but perhaps won’t be made in such vast quantities as demand slows down. Pokemon have tried to mix physical with digital by means of codes in packs, which is a pretty interesting approach.
Many of us here on the forum actually digitize our collections by taking photos and sharing online. How many of us here have actually seen other peole’s collections in person? Very few. PSA tried registries…which I don’t think really took off. Instagram is where most people show pictures of their collection…someone needs to get in on the action and make an app specifically for showing collections. That would be my solution! Physical collections showcased online for other collectors to see and marvel at!
What is the next Pokemon? That is tough. Being 26 I am afraid that is becoming increasingly difficult to identify as to what will stick with the 8-10 year old crowd and command the kind of attention like Pokemon did when I was that age. Just like the generation that proceeded me, the majority didn’t quite grasp Pokemon at first. I am sure if I had children, picking out the next up and coming “Pokemon” would be easier but, simply put, I think the older generations would not pay it much mind until well after the fact as it is not something we can identify with nor grow up with.
Nothing like Pokemon has really happened since. Nearly EVERYONE in the early 2000s thought it was a fad and would stick around for a year or two at best…not become a multi-billion dollar organization and still capturing the hearts and minds of the young 20 years later. Not to mention, prices of vintage cards are higher than ever.
I think the key for Pokemon is to adapt…so far so good for the most part. It was a very different world when it first came out, with hobby and game stores much more prevalent. I would like to see more of that again, but I just don’t think the new generation has much interest in that.
I think what we can do is nurture the interest of young and budding collectors. There is a time and place for being a bit pretentious about ones collection, but this is not one. Show them the fun, the enjoyment and satisfaction of collecting, not the economics behind it. That will come should they stick with it long enough.
Pokemon is going to be one of the last paper based collectables in existence. Period.
As many of the above said…
The next generation of kids and collectors are very digital based, their entertainment is different, society is becoming paperless now. In many aspects like their offices, forms of media, entertainment, and environmental factors as well.
Psa understands that pokemon is a big aspect of its future generation of collectors, and is adapting to that.
There’s a good 40-60 years of pokemon still to go, so I think psa will be fine business wise in that regards haha
Who’s to say. Someone may get it right and in a financial aspect reap the rewards most would get it wrong if they are specifically looking to profit from an upcomming fad.
I remember playing with He-Man figures when a kid and had a small concept of collectable value from my dad. But the common concept was they were mass produced and would be worth nothing. Well look at it now. Personally I liiked video games, The arcade was my happy zone. I personally had a C64 and then a Master System II. While its great to see these people with manicured basement walls lined with cartridges for me its just as good to play an old game via emulator. I would say the generations before me would have been music (vinyl) and then cars.
But there are a lot of people investing in Pokemon now and I think for the most part that is because of the hype now. They arent necessarily thinking about the future except through their glasses of now and see a pretty picture but maybe that will all come to a dying halt and a majority will just be left looking at worthless pieces of paper…
I do notice now that with massive overpopulation on our planet that is ever growing, the need to have something successful and the evil that is money, kids are just over saturated with options! Video games are soooo different now with cell phone apps, pay to play, online multiplayer and internet connection speeds dont dictate much anymore which means they never leave home and are still connected to their friends. It is a much different world that I remember being a kid.
I think in order to make accurate predictions about the future you need to understand the past. What were the previous Pokemon? Sports cards? Comics? (Marbles?) Anything else? What do these interests/collectables have in common that makes grown adults with large bank accounts go back and buy these old items?
What are things that were expected to be valuable collectables but turned out to just be forgotten fads?
I’ve always wondered if video games/consoles/etc. will become extremely sought after in the future – maybe there’s already a market for them (since old old tech is probs. highly collectible already), but if we’re talking collecting/pricing on a scale like collectible cards I don’t think we’re at that point yet.
For reference I’m thinking of things like GameCube, DS, XBox, SuperSmash Bros., GTA, Pokemon video games etc.
There were MANY collectibles back then. Not just the ones you listed. GI Joes and Barbies are great. You have to start with the connection to the items and it sprouts from there.
First thing that comes to mind for me there is Beanie Babies. A select few of them still have good value, but for the most part, they are absolutely worthless.
I think that as each of us have our own kids “if we don’t already” that we can teach them the value of collecting and Pokemon cards. As they grow up around us and see us with our collections naturally they are going to want that of their own and want to be like dad lol eventually then when they grow up they will look back and want the cards “dad” had remembering all the WOTC cards he had and just wanting that because it helps them reflect on their childhood and that will be their nostalgia. But yeah personally I think its all up to us now to pass down this torch to younger generations and they will see the value in It as long as they see us with our passion for these cards.
You’re already seeing it with Pokemon video games, which people are even beginning to grade. Heck, even ungraded sealed copies of Pokemon Red and Blue are going for around $400-500 now.
For example if we had some special Pokemon Centre gifts to share with some of their friends - they’d often remark and differentiate between friends who “only” play Pokemon Go and “TRUE” Pokemon friends who (also) collect TCG, watch cartoons and /or have the 3DS games.
