TPCi should be supporting local game stores instead of dying retail giants. Yes, Play! promos exist but:
a) They’re lacking as they’re just stamped trainer cards and not geared towards collectors.
b) The playerbase is tiny compared to the collector base.
Also there’s something kind of sick about marketing cards with MacDonalds. The health problems created from consuming too much sugar or being overweight cost world governments and private citizens billions every year. It encourages childhood obesity and TPCi should not create incentives for this behaviour. It’s a crisis all around the world.
The premium collections with 4 packs and a promo are kind of garbage too.
It’s just the same rehashed product over and over again except you get less packs for your money. In Australia these are extremely overpriced for what you get. These boxes should only be used if you get something amazing for your money or they have a set in them like generations or shining legends
They make a tonne of money off of them though. They are the perfect birthday present for a relative that knows the kid likes Pokemon cards. Big, flashy present where the kid is guaranteed to get a shiny/cool looking card(the promo). They are affordable for that purpose. My LCS kills with them around Xmas time as well.
Please don’t let this explanation think I don’t hate them as much as you though.
Steam Siege as a set, Gardevoir Ex FA art is the only positive aspect to me.
Oh and shining promos & cards not being labeled as “shiny”. It rubs me the wrong way and just lets kids get hosed outta their shiny cards by any creepy greedmonster.
Modern english promo sets (HGSS, BW, XY, SM). Except for a bunch of cards, they are simply a collection of reprinted japanese promos sold with some garbage sealed products and printed in absurd amounts. It’s so boring and pointless to collect them, at least I can focus on japanese version only
Also, TMB phone cards promo are really ugly and somewhat odd.
The hideous new foil patterns #bringbackcosmos and the oversized energy symbol in modern cards’ attack costs. IMO the current styling is terrible, I liked Diamond & Pearl aesthetic