![[EXCLUSIVE] Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Team Opens Up About the Expansion’s Name, New Norgan Region, and Performance Goals](https://cdn.gamerbraves.com/2026/07/Dragons-Dogma-2-Dark-Arisen_Interview_FI-360x180.jpg)
For the past few years, buying a Pokémon card in Japan felt less like a hobby and more like a stock market transaction due to card prices. But that era appears to be winding down and for regular players and kids, the timing couldn’t be better.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) cards skyrocketed in value. They became targets not just for players and collectors, but for scalpers and even thieves looking to cash in on the craze. Now, Japanese outlet Daily Shincho is reporting that card shops across Japan have quietly been shutting their doors as prices fall rapidly.
The scale of the drop is significant. A Tokyo-based card retailer interviewed by Daily Shincho pointed to the Lillie Full Art card, illustrated by Naoki Saito and one of the most sought-after collector’s cards in Japan, as an example. The card’s buying price has fallen from around $65,000 to under $15,000.
Several factors seem to have contributed to the collapse. One is the rise of counterfeit cards, which have become increasingly well-made and harder to distinguish from genuine ones. Another is the behavior of so-called “Pokémon card investors” who, as they began exiting the market, sold off large collections all at once flooding the market with supply and driving prices further down
The result has been a noticeable improvement for people who actually play the game. The same Tokyo retailer noted that rare cards once priced above $300 are now selling for around $30, making them realistic purchases for children again. Stock has also returned to ordinary toy shops, and the long lines that used to form outside card stores on release days have eased up considerably.
