Young and old “Pokemon” and “Yu-Gi-Oh” fans remain devoted to the trading card games (TCG) as they get ready to “duel”.
With the increase in popularity of trading card games (TCG), there has been a resurgence of older players coming back into the scene in an attempt to recapture the essence of their childhood.
Gareth Burmeister, from The Batcave Tabletop Gaming and Geek Culture store in Kloof, said that there was a resurgence of people playing trading card games.
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“The Batcave has been operating and providing a place for like-minded individuals to play these games for 10 years now and the number of people who have participated and become invested has increased exponentially over this time,” he said.
“What has been particularly pleasing to see is not only how diverse the various player bases have become over the years, but also how the age ranges vary so much. We have players as young as six years old, all the way up to those in their late 60s enjoying these games. It really is exciting,” said Burmeister.
He added that the biggest challenge for these types of hobbies is the cost. “With the increased cost of living in South Africa people have increasingly less disposable income.
Further to this, these game systems and the associated products are at the mercy of not only an ever-weakening rand, but also multiple distribution chains which start overseas
“With these products having to go through multiple distribution channels in Europe before they even land in South Africa the pricing is significantly affected and has on many occasions forced players to reevaluate whether or not they can actually afford to continue in the hobby that they love so much,” he said.
Burmeister added that people who play these games often try to experience and relive their childhood. “‘Pokemon’ and Yu-Gi-Oh’ are based on long-standing anime series which a great deal of our players enjoyed when they were younger.
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“They have continued to love it and have now passed this trade onto their children, friends and family. ‘Magic: The Gathering’ as well as ‘Pokemon’ and ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ are particularly popular in schools, universities and colleges,” he said.
Burmeister said tournaments often play a major role in the TCG community and there is a sort of camaraderie at these events. “‘Magic: The Gathering’ takes place every Friday evening, ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ every Saturday afternoon and ‘Pokemon’ every Sunday.
The larger format tournaments such as regionals and nationals, usually take place once a year at a predetermined venue
He added that the love for these games and playing them is important within the community. “These games inspire creativity, imagination, problem-solving skills, sportsmanship and friendship.
“I personally have made life-long friends with people both in South Africa as well as all over the world just from playing these games. It is really something quite special,” he said.
Kyle Homer, from the Unseen Shoppe, said that they see a lot of people who are playing TCGs for the nostalgia factor. “A lot of people purchase these kinds of games out of nostalgia. Some parents want to share their childhood experiences with their kids. Despite the price increases, their popularity remains fairly consistent,” he said.
One player and collector, who did not want to be named, added that he plays as he grew up with it. “I spent my childhood playing with these ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ cards. I remember waiting for weekends when my cousins used to come over and we used to play all night.
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“It has a feeling of nostalgia. I did not realise how expensive these cards were, but it is something that I love and I will continue to connect,” he said.
Byron Mark Ghela, a local player of “Yu-Gi-Oh” said that it was something he grew up with. “I have been playing for the past 20 years and competitively for the past five. It is so engaging and it is something I have always loved.
“We are trying to set up a gaming scene in Pietermaritzburg and I hope we can get this going. It is a nice place where people can get together and play games together,” he said.
