On the 20 October 1996 a new collectible card game called Pokémon came out in Japan. It then came to the UK in autumn 1999.
What are Pokémon cards, though? Pokémon was initially a computer game that then became a collectible card game. They are collectible and playable cards that have different characters on them. There are different sets to collect, from single packs to boosters, elite trainer boxes and more. Some of the well-known characters for Pokémon are Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle and my favourite is Sylveon.
I have autism and I love to collect Pokémon cards as I can learn about all the different types of characters, the stats for each character and their evolution line. I love playing the game as it has a rule-based system that I like. I have noticed while out buying the cards and going to events that there are lots of other autistic people that enjoy collecting and playing as well.
For years people like me just loved to go and buy the new series, to collect the cards and play the game. There used to be no problem buying and enjoying the release days for them. I used to get so excited about going to the shops to buy the new packs and boxes and coming home to open them up and see what cards I had got and then putting them in my special binder.
However, since it became popular on social media, people see how much rare cards are worth, and this has now all changed.
When excitement turns to fear
Nowadays I am not completely excited about a new release, but a combination of excited and scared at the same time. When I go to the shops now on release day with my parents and we are in the queue waiting, there are always grown men pushing and fighting each other over where they are in the queue. I have also seen the staff of the shops getting shouted out and threatened by people because they restrict how many they can buy.
I have had men try to push me over to get my place in the queue, and my parents have then had to stop them. I recently went to London for an event. It was Pokémon release day, and while going into a big toy shop, there were two grown men fighting and I saw one man headbutt the other over the Pokémon packs.
The men in the queue are buying as many sets as they can and then you can see them going to the next shop and doing the same. Sometimes, I have been lucky to get some new sets when I have queued, but a lot of the time I have had to go home upset because I haven’t been able to get any as these people are getting them all.
Buying cards just to sell them
The problem is a lot of them are buying the cards to sell for more money. You can even see them putting them on eBay while they are still standing in the queue. People buy them to sell for more money at Pokémon events as well. They phone friends who are at other shops to see what they have got. That’s why some shops have started to limit how many people can buy, which is a good thing, but they are still then going straight to other shops to buy more.
People like me who just want to get the new packs to collect them and play the game are missing out on them, because of all these people buying them up. It can be scary to see the shouting and fighting to the point that I do not want to go any more in case I get hurt or am not able to get a set or pack for me.
Please let Pokémon be fun again
This issue needs to be looked at as it is only getting worse. I ask that the people who make the Pokémon cards try to help stop eBay selling the latest sets and stop people selling them for more money at Pokémon events. Shops should try their best to limit how many people can buy. I also ask for the government and councils to get involved in this situation now as people are getting hurt and upset physically and mentally. A game that was made to be enjoyed has turned into a nightmare and people are being scared and hurt.
So, I ask, please can someone help with this situation so that people like me can get excited once again about Pokémon cards and not be scared.
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