i just found out that japan has 5 new 'shining' pokemon promo's. i agree promo's are getting out of hand
Promos and Decks (they're exclusive over there, remember, not hodge-podge decks recycling cards in a set already out) in Japan are what fill the gap. They have a lot of things TO offer promos of: each set gets 3-4 release celebration promos given out at Gym Challenge, topped off with a medal promo. Fast food outlets get promos, Pokemon Centre gets promos, 7/11 gets promos, Toys'r'Us gets promos, magazines, movie theatres, lottery draws, point system prizes that have to be earned et al.
The Promos are mainly there to satiate the collectors, which is why most of them aren't playable in any decent strategy, though there are a good handful which are. They are rewards for hard work with decks and league 50% of the time, with the other 50% usually commemorating something. Not really getting out of hand, they've been doing the same thing since 1996. The latest promo campaign, Shining Pokemon Present, is commemorating the fact that there are shiny beasts being given away for the 13th movie and are in extremely limited numbers. A fine example of how Japan ties in promotional cards into what is going on.
In the english side of things there are very little outlets for these promos, as the rest of the world isn't so Poke-Influenced as Japan. That is why many of them remain exclusive to Japan. What ones to get moved into the english rotations are usually shoved in pricey blister packs, poster boxes, or occasionally into a set. The US only gets a quarter, if that, of the promos that Japan does and yet they have the audacity to then push english exclusive promos down players and collectors throats instead of possibly bringing in more of the Japanese ones for ease of collectability/accessibility for collectors who only have access to the english cards; or prefer the english cards.
Not that it's really a bad thing, there is usually nice artwork on them or make a card of strategy that is rare or ultra rare much easier to play, but given the other canon fodder they could release you'd think they'd take a stab at some of those. Especially since the rinse-lather-repeat method of reprinting 3 ex/lv.x/prime cards in tins with alt art is getting incredibly old.
tl;dr if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen- promos are here to stay.
Like seriously, they are 2 sets ahead of us. (kind of...) We just got into legend and now all these "mini sets" are coming out! Don't forget about the other continents over on the other side of the world!
