Change coming for PTCGO code card redemption?

[bulbasnore]

[gal=55997]Old versus new Code Cards[/gal]

In the past we've had Pokemon Trading Card Game Online code cards move from being able to redeem a pack of any set to being only able to redeem a pack of the set in which the card was shipped. Is there a change coming again? A card shipped with Phantom Forces packs is pictured to the right of the card shipped with packs of Furious Fists. The new code card doesn't promise to unlock a pack from the set, it just promise online rewards. Will these be Gems or online packs or random game items or what?

The PTCGO forum login is down right now (5:45pm PDT) and the announcements board doesn't say anything about that change. What can we expect?

 

[Envoyofduels]

I noticed that myself. As a collector I liked the different backs.

 

[King Piplup]

The obverse of the code card says "Phantom Forces Booster Pack" underneath where the XXX-YYYY-ZZZ was printed.

I think they just got tired of creative designs. It's probably cheaper, too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pokealjovin]

I agree with King Piplup, my guess would be that they will keep the same back for all the cards, whenever for the boosters, or the promo cards in tins or the theme decks.

As a matter of fact, the Battle Arena Deck: Xerneas vs. Yveltal has the same art, and the name of the deck is written on it beneath the code.

 

[M_Liesik]

I think they just got tired of creative designs. It's probably cheaper, too.

Less of the first, more of the latter.

As a general rule, small print runs = higher cost per item, and large print runs = reduced cost per item. The old method required a separate print run for each language of each unique, blank code card design, which were then run through a variable printer to add the unique QR and alphanumeric codes. Under the new method we could print enough generic, blank code cards in each language to cover every product we produce for a full year (or more). When we want to include a code card to a product we just grab a stack of the generic, blank code cards and run them through a variable printer to add the description of the unlocked item and the unique QR and alphanumeric codes. The cost associated with adding the line of text for the unlocked item is relatively insignificant compared to the cost of producing a unique code card design for each language of each product.

So what does this mean for the average customer? It means that you have to use the text printed next to the code to identify the item being unlocked, rather than relying on the design of the card. It also means that we're more likely to start including codes in products with smaller print runs, since the cost to do so is lower than previously. Other than that, you'll continue to unlock the same types of items when redeeming codes as before. Codes in booster packs will continue to unlock booster packs. Codes in theme decks will continue to unlock theme decks. Codes in tins will continue to unlock promos. And so on...

I hope that the explanation above helps alleviate any anxiety that this change may have cause, and provides some insight into the reasoning for it.