I have mixed feelings as well on this. I'm all about trying to keep cards "affordable", but a 40 dollar price tag ( only higher on site around major tournaments such as Nationals ) is far from taboo, and Pokemon has had those price tags on cards for years ( Blaziken EX in 2004, Mew EX in 2006, Latias * was much higher, etc ) with not only no real complaints, but no real availability issue. Cards such as Tropical Beach, with an actual limited release, and huge price tag are a legitimate concern, but a car that topped at 40 is far from cause for concern.
While it makes it easier for players to get, there are pros and cons to this. This is a major issue for Yu Gi Oh, and has been an issue in Magic regarding bannings ( which while not identical in causation, the result os a sharp price drop for a previously very expensive card ). If you allow a card to sky rocket in price, which should always happen due to the way a TCG works, then players WILL buy them. They will spend large sums of money to obtain their set, and also generally keep extras, as Uxie X and Luxray GL Lvl X last format were as good as currency, and very easy to trade for other cards.
These sorts of releases so far past the initial release of a card stings a bit of false advertisement to those players who do buy into cards. If a player, due to the rarity of a card, assumes the value of a card is reasonably safe, and goes through a lot of effort to obtain it ( especially those who DO have less disposable income ) then it sure is a nice slap in the face when a month or two later they not only could have gotten it cheaper, but that the investment they did make ( and whether YOU enjoy the collectible aspect of a Collectible/Trading Card Game, its a part of the system, all cards are NOT intended to be of the same rarity, and whether you feel it SHOULD be this way or not, the consumer is told that there is a rarity scheme and purchase accordingly ) is now shot. Its one thing when an EX or Lvl X card is tinned upon release, but a year+ past printing? Thats a bit more in the grey area.
And to "Waynegg"...your comment came across as very ignorant. "Hoarding"? Oh come on now, lets say you invest heavily in the game. You trade a lot. you get 4 of every card ( and I know COUNTLESS players who do put that much investment into the game ) and you go to tournaments, win some cards, and trade some. How is it "bad" that said person decides to stock up on THE GOOD CARDS for value, or for future trait bait? Would you prefer they are forced to distribute their investment equally amongst cards they do not want? Also, theres nothing wrong with players trading to make money to support their hobby. The number of these cards in rotation is far more than you must think it is if these "terrible hoarders" are driving the price up for you. Players "hoard" cards because they are worth a lot, they aren't worth a lot because they get "hoarded".
Now, I don't play this game anymore, and I sold off all but the bare minimums of my collection, so this doesn't really affect me, and I appreciate that it helps "even the playing field" but I do think it is a bit disrespectful to those who are passionate enough about this game to pay the premium for these products under the longstanding assumption that their distribution would not be altered. It was worse in YGO where cards worth 100+ dollars would get a reprint and take their value down to 5 dollars, and while this is less extreme, if I were a player, it sets a pretty bad precedent and I'd be very reluctant to invest in valuable cards in the future for fear of these types of releases. Its one thing to pay 80 dollars for a Luxray GL Lvl X, because if needed, you can sell it to recoup some of that money, its a whole different ballgame when you can pay 80 for it, and then log online one day and find out a press release just dropped its value to 10.
For every person who wants to praise Nintendo for making it easier to get Card X that you don't own, put yourself in the shoes of those who are also in the same position you are ( struggling to afford the cards to compete ) who DID acquire them at cost.
While it makes it easier for players to get, there are pros and cons to this. This is a major issue for Yu Gi Oh, and has been an issue in Magic regarding bannings ( which while not identical in causation, the result os a sharp price drop for a previously very expensive card ). If you allow a card to sky rocket in price, which should always happen due to the way a TCG works, then players WILL buy them. They will spend large sums of money to obtain their set, and also generally keep extras, as Uxie X and Luxray GL Lvl X last format were as good as currency, and very easy to trade for other cards.
These sorts of releases so far past the initial release of a card stings a bit of false advertisement to those players who do buy into cards. If a player, due to the rarity of a card, assumes the value of a card is reasonably safe, and goes through a lot of effort to obtain it ( especially those who DO have less disposable income ) then it sure is a nice slap in the face when a month or two later they not only could have gotten it cheaper, but that the investment they did make ( and whether YOU enjoy the collectible aspect of a Collectible/Trading Card Game, its a part of the system, all cards are NOT intended to be of the same rarity, and whether you feel it SHOULD be this way or not, the consumer is told that there is a rarity scheme and purchase accordingly ) is now shot. Its one thing when an EX or Lvl X card is tinned upon release, but a year+ past printing? Thats a bit more in the grey area.
And to "Waynegg"...your comment came across as very ignorant. "Hoarding"? Oh come on now, lets say you invest heavily in the game. You trade a lot. you get 4 of every card ( and I know COUNTLESS players who do put that much investment into the game ) and you go to tournaments, win some cards, and trade some. How is it "bad" that said person decides to stock up on THE GOOD CARDS for value, or for future trait bait? Would you prefer they are forced to distribute their investment equally amongst cards they do not want? Also, theres nothing wrong with players trading to make money to support their hobby. The number of these cards in rotation is far more than you must think it is if these "terrible hoarders" are driving the price up for you. Players "hoard" cards because they are worth a lot, they aren't worth a lot because they get "hoarded".
Now, I don't play this game anymore, and I sold off all but the bare minimums of my collection, so this doesn't really affect me, and I appreciate that it helps "even the playing field" but I do think it is a bit disrespectful to those who are passionate enough about this game to pay the premium for these products under the longstanding assumption that their distribution would not be altered. It was worse in YGO where cards worth 100+ dollars would get a reprint and take their value down to 5 dollars, and while this is less extreme, if I were a player, it sets a pretty bad precedent and I'd be very reluctant to invest in valuable cards in the future for fear of these types of releases. Its one thing to pay 80 dollars for a Luxray GL Lvl X, because if needed, you can sell it to recoup some of that money, its a whole different ballgame when you can pay 80 for it, and then log online one day and find out a press release just dropped its value to 10.
For every person who wants to praise Nintendo for making it easier to get Card X that you don't own, put yourself in the shoes of those who are also in the same position you are ( struggling to afford the cards to compete ) who DID acquire them at cost.
