The Pokemon trading card games continued push into special sets is hurting the game for both collectors and players. The Pokemon trading card game is set to begin 2025 with the Primate evolution Special set. Unlike regular sets like the highly anticipated Surging Spark expansion, Primate evolution Will not have individually sold booster packs. Instead, fans will have the option of purchasing special gift sets in addition to standard Elite Trainer boxes. Based on Primate evolutions timing at the beginning of the year, This means that players will likely get a second special release in 2025.
While the Pokemon trading card game In 2012, they were relatively limited in size, with only 20 or 30 cards per set and an average release of maybe one per year. As of 2023, The Pokemon trading card game Has released two special sets per yearWith some sets containing as many as 207 cards. Functionally, these sets allow the Pokemon Trading Card Game to issue more cards than ever, forcing both collectors and fans to stop spending money to keep up.
Pokemon’s Prismatic Evolution Set Explained
Prismatic Evolution contains cards from an upcoming Eevee-focused set
The Pokemon Company has yet to officially announce Primate evolution – Just being revealed by PokéBeach – but his name suggests that It will have Tera Ex versions of Eevee and its various evolutions. The Eevee-related cards will come from the Japanese Terrastal Festival Card set, a “high class set.” In Japan, high class sets have booster packs with more cards, guaranteed draw rates, and special god packs that contain only rare and ultra-rare cards. Primate evolutions set list will be filled by cards released exclusively in Japan in special starter deck products.
Part of the problem is how the Pokemon Trading Card Game is distributed internationally. The Pokemon Company tends to mash multiple Japanese sets and products together to form a larger set for international distribution. Some of the sets are good, like these Stellar Crown cards, for example, but others end up bloated with filler cards. Occasionally, the Pokemon Company shifts the rarity of certain cards for international release, meaning that American pack openers It could be a card that is uncommon in Japan as their guaranteed rare card. So, while Terrastal Festival Is a good set for Japanese players, its international equivalent does not have the same special qualities.
Why poison sets are hurting TCGs
Special sets are oversaturating Pokemon TCG
There are two main problems with special sets like Primate evolution. The first is that they leave the Pokemon trading card game To circumvent their normal release cadence of four sets per year. Four sets is a good set for a game like this Pokemon TCG. It gives players a few months to adjust to the metagame and gives collectors a chance to get their hands on chase cards and recover. Releasing more than four sets per year leads to an oversaturation of new cards, because new sets constantly hit the market. Game Magic: The Gathering Released ten sets in 2024 aloneWhich meant that his sets had no time to breathe or find an audience. Even popular sets like MTGs Bloomburrow They are seemingly overshadowed as marketing immediately turns to the next trend soon after its release.
The other major issue is how special sets are actually distributed to players. The Pokemon Company releases these sets through a variety of special gift boxes and multi-pack products, with No option to purchase individual card packs at a lower price point. Players typically have to spend a minimum of $20 to get booster packs from these sets, which feels like a cash grab for fans. Players could at least opt out of special sets when they mostly featured existing cards with variant art (such as Paldean Fates). Now, these sets contain meta-relevant cards like Fezandipiti EX, a potentially valuable card from Shrouded Fablewhich is found in many popular tournament-winning decks.
How Pokémon TCG Can Fix Its Poison Set Problem
Smaller set list and individual booster packs
Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that these Pokemon trading card game Will always fully indulge in special sets, because they are also profitable and offer a unique opportunity to release cards with special themes. However, there are several options to lighten the financial burden on players and collectors. One easy solution is to release special sets with booster packs available for individual purchase. Although there is still a concern about oversaturation, at least the card game will not prey on children by influencing them (or their parents) to buy the cards at more expensive price points. It is much easier to fit special sets than Primate evolution In the budget if they have the same price point as other card sets.
The other solution is to limit the size of special card sets to a more reasonable number. A set with 50 cards is much easier to collect than a set with 200 cardsEspecially when players are forced to buy packs four or six at a time. Smaller sets also mean better pulls, which means it’s easier to get a must-have card like Fezandipiti EX in the future.
Special sets are starting to become a problem in these Pokemon trading card game. Although they were once a harmless distraction, they are becoming more and more frequent. Even worse, they now contain significant cards that force players to invest in them instead of focusing on standard releases. If the Pokemon Company doesn’t show some restraint, it could find itself in a position like Game Magic: The GatheringA profitable card game but with an often detached and unengaged fan base.
Source: PokéBeach