After my last thread, I swore I would never make another long post in the future. The future is here, and I am sad because of time constraints.
Edit - what I wrote below still feels long. Here’s a super TL;DR:
- prototypes exist; don’t be too bothered by method of release; questions on authenticity; try to enjoy the hobby regardless; be open minded but don’t blindly accept new information without verifying and having a deeper understanding
I will try bullet form to keep my thoughts TL;DR:
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At this point, hopefully people do not have doubts as to the existence of these prototypes. The reality is that proof of concepts and subsequent prototype iterations are mandatory for any robust project regardless of industry.
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The way these were released to the public should not hinder the significance of the prototypes. The only things that were hindered by the method of release are the realized sold prices for these items because people do not have much information about the prototypes when they were made available publicly. Although not exactly similar, there have been many instances within the short history of Pokemon cards when early public perceptions of the card were not fully aligned with the fundamentals of the card (accepted significance of no rarities; impact of additional copies of trophies, snap cards, illustrators, and gold stars; etc.).
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These prototypes did not just pop up overnight, just like how the multiple Illustrators did not just pop up overnight. Everything we have seen recently in the public eye have been in the making for at least two years now. Unironically, there were several key individuals who were involved in the release of both of these assets to the public market.
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Healthy levels of skepticism are absolutely important, but do not muddy your skepticism as a justification to downplay the historical significance of the prototypes, as referenced in this thread.
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The main skepticism that should be considered is understanding the authenticity of the cards themselves. Which of these (if not all) were actually created by the Pokemon Company, and which of these (if any) were created with some glue, matching cardstock, and an inkjet printer outside the Company? I saw some recent posts that said Akabane authenticated the current prototypes on the public market, and the verbiage needs to be clarified - From my understanding, Akabane only confirmed that these prototypes exist. It is unrealistic to assume that Akabane authenticated every single card that is currently on the market. If my understanding is flawed, someone please correct me, and let me know how Akabane authenticated “all” of the prototypes when not every card directly came from him. We have already seen pictures of cards that came from him directly, but unless it is made indisputably clear that every prototype came directly from him, I would caution people from blanketing authenticity by Akabane for all of the prototypes we are currently seeing.
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The other skepticism that should be worth noting to fellow collectors is that without formal documentation from the Pokemon Company, the narrative of the prototypes have not been consistent. When the black and white “alpha protos” were first introduced to me earlier this year, they were pitched as one of one proof of concept cards created by Ishihara to present to the Pokemon Company. Since then, multiple copies of the set have surfaced and now the narrative is that these were the first prototypes of the cards and not the original proof of concept. Based on what I have seen, it is highly possible that the “proof of concept” verbiage could have been miscommunicated, as it would make sense that these black and white prototypes are in fact the first iteration of creating prototypes, resulting in duplicates. But originally stating to me that these were one of one still feels disingenuous.
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Final thoughts: be completely honest with yourselves about whether you are collecting or investing. Can you still appreciate your collection if your Pokemon cards went to zero, or are you primarily enjoying the cards because of their current and expected monetary value? It is perfectly fine to enjoy Pokemon cards for both reasons, but try not to let your emotions dictate your perspectives when new information emerges. Stay open minded, but also be vigilant in asking the right questions, verifying the information you see.
Hope this helps, and happy collecting 
cpbog1