As of this writing, there are more than 150,000 Twitch viewers watching popular streamer Trymacs open First Edition packs of cards from the Pokémon Trading Card Game. If you're like me, you might remember the Pokémon TCG fondly but through the lens of nostalgia. The tactile card game that capitalized on the unstoppable success of the video game / anime franchise was aimed at younger players when it debuted in the mid-1990s. Now, nearly 25 years later, Pokémon TCG not only enjoys continued worldwide popularity but even a resurgence of interest from fans of all ages.
So what's the reason behind the sudden surge in this unexpected trend? Well, there are quite a few. First of all, Pokémon TCG never exactly stopped being popular. Over 30.4 billion cards have been sold, and it's remained a best-selling extension of the franchise even as more headline-grabbing video game titles have been released over the years. Pokémon TCG wisely keeps pace with the rest of the franchise, continuing to release new expansions like "Sword and Shield – Darkness Ablaze" and its VMAX 'mons. That, and the related Gigantamax Pokémon that were introduced in the recent expansion, are an example of the new mechanics the TCG introduces each year. But that alone doesn't account for the skyrocketing popularity of late.
With Pokémon turning 25 on February 27th, the fanbase on Twitch continues to embrace the franchise through different streams of content, including cartoons, games, esports, and unboxing of trading cards. It's this last category that has absolutely blown up in the last year. According to Twitch metrics, streams showing unboxing of original Pokémon decks have shown 3,000%+ growth in monthly viewership hours during the pandemic, from March 2020 to January 2021. That was good enough to become the second most popular Pokémon category behind Pokémon Sword/Shield.
In a "Torchic and the egg" situation, it's hard to pin down what came first, the rise in popularity of Pokémon TCG itself or that of the streamers who tapped into the trend. Some top-earners in the world of Twitch, YouTube, and the like were definitely factors in driving up the prices of unboxed original decks and/or driving viewers to seek them out, no matter the cost. (You better believe I asked my younger brother if he had any unopened packs laying around. For the record, he does not ... or at least that's what he told me.)
So it's this combination of stuck-at-home viewers looking for new and enjoyable content, the nostalgia factor of vintage Pokémon TCG cards, the worldwide popularity of both the brand and the streamers who are giving it a spotlight, and the excitement over the unknown while watching said streamers open a sealed deck, hoping to get that rarest of the rare cards. Think you have one of these cards laying around somewhere? Do yourself a favor and double-check, or just take advantage of the current frenzy and get in on the Poké-fun!