Gotta Catch 'em All

Pokemon Tactical Card Game Players: Not Just a Children's Subculture

Most of us have heard of the tactical card games (TCG) Magic The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Pokemon. All too often people mistakenly assume the majority of TCG players are children, and because these games are often marketed as such, it's  typically unrealized that there is an entire subculture of adults that gather together in hobby shops and comic book stores across the world to play these games. Over the years, the Pokemon TCG player-base has developed as its own subculture in which the majority of members follow the same set of rules and ethics, thus experiencing the same ups and downs that culminate together in what they call "the spirit of the game." Though the game may not define who they are, the positive friendships and morals that develop transcend beyond the doors of their local hobby shops.

Hidden Treasures

The Pokemon TCG was first introduced to America in 1998 not too long after the Nintendo Gameboy games (of which the TCG is based off of) swept across the nation's elementary and middle schools. I was in middle school when I first heard of this new craze from Japan, and my brother and I were instantly addicted. However, like most childhood fads these things were put away into storage as we grew older and never really given a second glance.

In 2010, my friends found their old binders of Pokemon cards buried in a closet at their mother's house. We flipped through page after page reminiscing about how excited we were to get this card or that card out of a booster pack. My friends thought it would be a good idea to go to Target to purchase some of the new cards, so I tagged along with them. I thought it might be fun to see what Pokemon cards were like nowadays. We didn't really have any expectations. We just wanted to see how things have changed. However we did not anticipate that despite being almost 30 years old, it was still incredibly exciting to rip open those shiny foil packets and find a really good card hiding inside.

Hobby Shops: Come and Mingle

My friends and I relearned how to play the game, and after a couple of weeks, we discovered an advertisement for a prerelease tournament at a local hobby store. A prerelease tournament occurs a week or two before a new set of cards is released. Players are given six booster packs (each pack has ten cards) in which to build a 40-card deck, and only those cards from the booster packs can be used. This puts everyone on equal grounds as booster packs are entirely randomized. It's the perfect way for new players to come into the game without a fear of losing every round to more experienced players. Walking into Game Kastle that Sunday morning was a bit of a shock for me because there were so many other people my age and even older. I expected to find a lot of children that would make fun of me for not knowing how to play. Instead, I learned that tournaments separate the players into age groups so I wouldn't have to play anyone younger than 16. This marked the beginning of my exploration into the Pokemon tactical card game subculture.

Even though I had not touched a Pokemon card in ten years, I found this very large and diverse group of adults that were quick to provide tips on my strategy. Many people encouraged me to attend Sunday Pokemon league at the hobby store, which is where players gather to play casual, friendly games and to trade cards. After this tournament, I attended many leagues and was "taken in" by this group of 19-23 year old college kids that practiced with me outside of league and helped me prepare for more formal tournaments. There were also many ~40 year old moms and dads at league that helped me trade for cards I needed while telling me how their children play in the younger divisions.

It didn't occur to me at the time, but I would later realize that the majority of Pokemon players generally exhibit a positive, helpful attitude towards others, regardless of age or appearance. My friends taught me that there is a "code of conduct" at league that everyone abides by in regards to the bartering system as well as game-play. Everyone is treated with respect, and it is looked down upon to exhibit poor sportsmanship or to try to rip someone off in a trade. Cards have different values depending upon their usefulness, and if a player develops a reputation for being a sore loser or for having "shady" trading habits, that person risks being shunned away from the community. Since Pokemon is a game in which the players are dependent upon helping each other with sharing and trading of cards as well as aiding in strategy, it is ideal to have a good relationship with all of the players.

The Players

Pokemon league gives a player the chance to interact with people he or she might not usually get a chance to know. Before attending Pokemon league, I was a relatively shy person with only a couple of friends, but now I have supportive friends that I see almost every week. They include young 21-23 year olds in college, a fourth grade teacher, a kindergarten teacher, and a math tutor. Beyond our little clique, I've met a mother that started playing with her daughter, but unfortunately her daughter is now a teenager and thinks Pokemon isn't "cool." The mom continues to attend league on most Sundays. I've met dads that started playing because they brought their child only to gain an interest themselves through watching everyone else play. I've met a man in his 30s that travels across the United States to compete. At one tournament, I played against some Fresno players that reeked of herbal substances. I've traded cards with very large, intimidating men that looked like they might have been in a gang at some point but for some reason, they really love Pokemon. I've carpooled with teenagers that didn't know how to drive to tournaments. Almost all of these people have added me on Facebook, and we have a Facebook group for bartering and announcing tournaments.

The Card

Pokemon TCG players are all united by the desire to collect, trade, and create a deck with these little illustrated cards, which feature images of imaginary creatures or items. As I mentioned, each card has a different value, and some are in much higher demand than others. Inside a $3.50 pack of randomized cards may lie a $70 card that a player can use to trade for some other much-needed cards in his or her deck, or the player may decide to put it into a competitive deck. A card may also be desired simply because it has unique artwork. Through this bartering system, players are able to create a deck without spending hundreds of dollars on eBay for certain cards. The single act of purchasing cards brings players together for whatever their purposes may be. Without the desire to "battle" or trade with these cards, this subculture would not exist.

Why Pokemon is Different from Other Popular TCGs

The one thing that separates Pokemon TCG players from any other group of card game players is the overall uplifting, helpful attitude shared by the majority of the members. In card and hobby shops across the U.S., Magic: The Gathering has developed a nasty reputation for bolstering angry, unfriendly players, especially in regards to newcomers. A simple Google search brings up a number of articles discussing how to deal with the "bad" or "ill-mannered" players in Magic. In one such article, the author says, "Every time I go to a prerelease... I meet at least one person who should be classified as a toxic substance. " This is partially due to the fact that Magic players take their game much more seriously than Pokemon players do. The Pokemon company itself even states on its website, " The Pokémon Company International believes that children should be having fun in the process of competing, regardless of the outcome. It is, after all, just a game."

It is just a game.

We All Win

The Pokemon tactical card game attracts people of all ages, races, and backgrounds, and despite the large diversity in players, they all share the same ideals and attitudes towards each other. These positive attitudes can jump into the mind of people like me and instill more friendly behavior both inside and outside of a hobby shop. Each of us enjoys a good strategy game, but it is the good company and relationships that keep us coming back for league each Sunday. The Pokemon TCG subculture is full of the nicest 10-50 year old teachers, thugs, nerds, students, binge drinkers, and gym rats you'll ever meet.

sources:
http://www.pokemon.com/us/parents/   
http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/misc/10956-The-Jerks-You-Meet-at-Gas-Stations-and-Magic-Tournaments-and-How-to-Deal-With-Them.html