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list together. and there was actually some duplicates as well. Amy and Eddie both put forward the Volcanian EX from Journey Together, which interestingly, when you look at the chart, we looked just before this pod, you could see that it has actually taken a bit of a slide ⁓ since release. So that could be one. That could be a ⁓ kind of an underdog. And they've both got it as part of their short list. Alex: Yep. And I can see I can see why. I think it's a great it's the SIR, I think, isn't it? It's it's a good it's a good pick. The other the other really sort of hot picks, ⁓ and it it's it's generalizing them a little bit, but it's it's the one five one, ⁓ particularly the starters. So between all the picks we've got the Charmander, the Venusaur, Blastoise, Charizard, ⁓ to name a few. So clearly people think these cards are still undervalued despite the rise that we've already seen. Joel: Yeah, that's the one, yeah. Alex: So only time will tell. Again, we'll probably come back to this in in maybe six months to have a review and then the f the full count as a year. but again, we wanted to leave it open. So if if anybody does want to enter, Sunday fifth the cutoff being Sunday fifth, we think is much fairer just get some minute for those because there have been people that have said they're they're keen, ⁓ so we want to just give everybody a fair chance. Joel: Speaking of challenges, this week you gave yourself a little mini challenge. Why don't you take us through this one? Alex: Yeah, so I decided that watching the World Cup match last night, ⁓ England v Panama wasn't going to be exciting enough. So ⁓ I had recently picked up a box of Abyssal Eye from yourself. ⁓ and I've I I say only, but I've I've opened two boxes so far, and just thought what would make it a fun way ⁓ or a different way to open packs. And so me and my other half decided that every three minutes during the game we would rip rip a pack. and it was it was more interesting than we thought. it's actually quite hard at times to keep track because you end up, you know, getting lost in the game. There's things like hydration breaks where they just take the clock away, which I hadn't really considered. ⁓ and then you get a nice break in the middle for half time. Joel: Yeah. Alex: But this wasn't really podcast material until the very final pack, which made it all better because I'd hit the item SR in the first pack and I I'd message you saying, I can't remember how Japanese packs work. Is this my is this my hit? Am I doomed? Have I d you know, am I gonna s waste a whole box here doing this daft challenge? And no, it turns out that Joel: Ha ha Ha ha ha. Alex: The look was on my side ⁓ for a change. and I hit the Darkrai EX. So the S I R. ⁓ which I do have here, so I'll I'll pull it up and just to show people very very quickly. Although I don't know if it's gonna fail. Joel: That is an absolute beauty right there. Alex: In the lights, look at that. The centre in is not the best. but this

one is is one for me, so I'm I'm you know, I'm still absolutely over the moon. and we would we joked while we were setting up for for tonight. My look from your packs that I've I've bought over the well it is over the years now, but the the the hit rate is pretty good. so if that's not an advert for koi cards, I don't I don't I don't know what is. Joel: I'll take this cheeky promo. No, mate. This was this was crazy. When when you s when you mentioned the challenge, I was like, that's a really cool idea. And then I thought, you know what? I'll try and like randomly pick when you're gonna potentially get the SAR and what it might be. And I think I I predicted like the Morpeko or something like that. But I honestly thought I'm just gonna say the Dark Rye and imagine if it was the Dark Rye and it would be a good laugh and a joke. And I was like, No, it's not gonna be the Dark Rye. I'm gonna go with Mopeko. And then when you message me, I was actually waiting the whole the whole game, expecting some sort of message. I was even like, ⁓ any any more hits? Any anything else? And when nothing was coming, I thought you were kind of doomed. ⁓ and then yeah, and then you spiked an absolute beauty at the end. Alex: It it really was that last pack of ⁓ that and and you've got to imagine, in my head it was I can't believe it was the item SR and that's it. And I've you know I got the gold E N AR which I think is great. ⁓ I got the Armourage as well. So, you know, there's some nice little pickups, but when when it's comes to opening a whole box, you kind of want at least one of the SIRs and and then to be rewarded with something like that is is you know, it really makes it better. I'll be holding on to that one, I'm sure. ⁓ I'll be showing it off. Joel: Do you have the Giratina from ⁓ Crown Zenith? Alex: No, so now I've got a decision to make because I love that card and I've contemplated picking it up a couple of times. Now might be a good time, ⁓ but it's not cheap. Joel: Would you get the w the Japanese one from V Star just so that you got them both Japanese? Alex: I I think I would, such a nice artwork and as as a set together think they would look so clean. ⁓ and then it's how far down that rabbit hole do you go? the artist a Kiragawa, you can then probably explore a couple more options. ⁓ but no, I I think it's such a nice card. ⁓ maybe getting it a little buddy would be would be fair. Joel: Do you know how much it's worth? I've completely lost track now. Alex: like all cards when they come out initially in J in Japan, it has fallen off a bit of a cliff. ⁓ currently sitting around ⁓ two hundred and thirty, I ⁓ pounds. ⁓ I think you know, there a time ⁓ on release where it was comfortably around four hundred. ⁓ Joel: Yeah, I think I s I've seen it five hundred in places. Which it's a beautiful card, but obviously the more and more these boxes get open, the more supply that's out there. Alex: Absolutely. but I think it definitely has capacity to to to to climb to climb back up again. And I think the English will definitely draw attention. ⁓ so it's one that I think we will see it demand a pretty high price point from an English standpoint. I'm tempted to swap it for my Charizard S I are in the challenge now just to sort of see how it does. But no, I think I think I'm I'm happy just to keep this one for now and see how see how it gets on. Price wise, it's not that important to me. Joel: Nah, lovely card. Congrats on that one. And and speaking of prices, this is the time of the podcast that I love the most because we're gonna move into what's worth more, Al. It is your turn to come under pressure this week. How are you feeling? Alex: Thank you very much. Who I'm I'm cautious, but I'm also slightly optimistic in that I have a feeling we worked out last week it's basically a fifty fifty chance every time. So the person who beats the fifty fifty odds is gonna be the real winner. Joel: It does seem that way. for those who don't know what this challenge entails, the idea here is that I will give Alex a card and I will give him a real life item, and he has to decide which of those two is worth more, and equally which one he would prefer. So I've kind of gone down a bit of a theme this week. ⁓ it will become very, very obvious. But as we know, heat wave in the UK, ridiculously hot, very uncomfortable. So that's the theming that we're going for. ⁓ I've also done what you kind of started maybe one or two challenges ago, and that is start low and build up high. So the value is going to increase. Just a little tip for you. So today we're gonna start off with. The Sun Flora Illustration Rare from Twilight Masquerade, that is number one six nine, versus four two kilogram bags of ice. Alex: Wow, okay. The theme hitting straight away. ⁓ with ice being very much in demand this week, I'm sure. Two kilogram bags of ice. So is in two single kilogram bags? Joel: You've got no two KG bags of ice and you've got four of them. Alex: ⁓ sorry, four two kg that's a lot of ice. Joel: It is a lot of ice. Or you can have the sunflora illustration rare. Alex: Where are you buying ice from online where it doesn't come melted in some way? Joel: Doesn't c I mean this week must come as water. Alex: I ordered ice and I got water again. I've had it. ⁓ fine, okay. I have to admit we have an ice ⁓ little tray in the fridge. I can't remember the last time I've bought ice, if ever. ⁓ okay. ⁓ focus on the Sunflora. I don't know actually a lot about this card. I would suspect given the game again starting low. Oosh, not really a set where the singles did that well. ⁓ Is it gonna anywhere between eight and eight to ten? Okay, so I'm gonna say that the ice is more expensive and that's only because I think your two pound bag your two kilogram bags will be like a pound each. So it's no two pound each at four, so that'd be eight, and I think the sunflower comes in just under eight. Joel: Not a good start. I was incredibly mean with this one

because there is actually only 6p difference between these two. The bags of ice, they're at £1.40 each, so come in at £5.60. And the Sumflora card comes in at £5.66. Which one would you prefer out of those? Obviously, the context of this week probably. Alex: ⁓ okay. Fair enough. Mm-hmm. This week makes it tricky, doesn't it? I think I think if we're going by this week, I'm taking the ice. Twilight Masquerade just isn't a set that does anything for me. I know I'm gonna get hate for that, but you know, with how hot I was the other night, bring it on. Joel: There could be ⁓ there could be some some wins for the real life items this week. Okay, next one. So the card is Misty's Lapras, number one nine four from Destined Rivals. So the one where they're kind of on a beach in some shade. Or you can have a Nerf Super Soka Power Drench XL. Alex: ⁓ my god. Nerf Supersoka. I have no idea I c well, no, wait. I I have an idea of what that would look like because it's nerf and they just do everything completely over the top. But I've never actually seen one. It's a super soaker, so kids toy. Now I do have a l slight advantage here with the Misty's Lapras, as it was someone's selection for the undervalued challenge. Joel: Yeah. Alex: And I was surprised that it just snuck into if I'm remend if I've got this if I'm remembering this wrong, this is gonna be so embarrassing. ⁓ I think I remember it be sitting just in the twenty-five to fifty. So I think it was like twenty six or twenty seven ish. ⁓ the problem is is I have no idea where that super soaker falls. So I'm gonna say the Lapras was around twenty seven, twenty six. I I think for super soakers nowadays. Joel: Ha ha ha. Alex: I mean it's nerf XL, so is it a special one? I'm gonna say Misty's Lapras was slightly more expensive. Joel: ⁓ no, it's it's zero zero and two. Missy Lapras, you were right. It was in around that twenty-seven mark. When I looked and I took the numbers for this, it was twenty-seven twenty-eight. ⁓ but even if it had moved either way, the the super soca, yeah, the nerf super soaker power drench XL came in at twenty-nine ninety-eight. Alex: ⁓ that's a terrible start. Ooh I should have gone towards the thirty mark. Yep, fair enough. Joel: Which one are you taking out of those two? Alex: Do quite like the Lapras. I don't have I don't I don't have much use on a super soaker. If it's not gonna cool me down, what's the point? Joel: Yeah, don't blame me on that one. Okay, number three. Okay, we're hopping out of the Scarlet and Violet era and we're moving back to the Sword and Shield era with this one. So it is the Starmie V from the Trainer Gallery number 13. That's Astral Radiance, where Misty's just kind of chilling in the pool. And there's a nice little connection here because that's going up against an Intex 8 foot metal frame paddling pool. Alex: Yeah. ⁓ okay, I can see what you've done there. Pull on the card, pull in real life. How big is this pool in real life? Joel: Eight foot. Alex:

Ain't for ⁓ that's thrown me. Joel: It's an eight foot metal frame pool. Alex: So I I have this card in my Pokedex binder, ⁓ as the as the Starmie card at the moment. And it's such a nice card. I have a feeling I picked it up for like Joel: Such a good card. Alex: Can't remember, but I I think I price checked it recently. That's the problem, and it's throwing me because I don't think you'd get a pull for that cheap. It would fit with the scaling if the scaling is anything to go by. ⁓ I I think the Starmie sits around 90. I think. I I could be well off though. So I think this ⁓ this is where the mind games start to play. For an eight-foot pool. Joel: Yeah. Alex: You'd like to think that's more than the Pokemon card, but I think it's not. So I'm gonna the Starm is more expensive and we're sitting around the ninety pound mark. Joel: You got your first one. You got your first one. Okay, that 5050 is coming in. The Stami V is around 7836. That was when I price checked it earlier. And the pool, surprisingly, yeah, 71 pounds 20. Over 700 of them have sold on on Amazon over the last month. Alex: ⁓ what ⁓ Hey, as long as as long as I don't get a duck, I'm fine. Just get one. I don't mind losing, just just get one. Okay. Yeah. Seems like a great deal. Wow, people just missing a deal of a lifetime by the sounds of it. Joel: I mean it's perfect weather for it, right? ⁓ so yeah, so that's Alex: ⁓ other p ⁓ other paddling pools are available, we should probably say. ⁓ no bias on this show. Joel: Okay, that is that was the third one. Moving into the fourth one again, continuing along the theme, and also pulling in a little bit from our last podcast where we touched on Chinese cards, because the next one is a Chinese exclusive, and I'll give you a little tip. I was surprised at the value of this card now, based on where it has been. Okay, that's just a little tip. Alex: Mm-hmm. Joel: Arcanine EX one five five from Fearless Terastal, so simplified Chinese card, exclusive, versus the Dyson Cool Tower fan. Alex: Ooh. Which price is also almost probably certain to have shot up this week as well. Huh. Okay. So I like how we I know it's sticking to the theme, but we do one episode with Chinese cards and suddenly we're experts. Joel: They're in the mix. Alex: I will be honest, I'm not familiar with this card. I've probably seen it just in passing. It's an RK9 NEX. Yeah, RK9's a popular c a popular mod, I'm not gonna deny that. I just don't know where to price it at. How much does a Dyson fan stand in fan go for? If it's a so the Dyson products always surprise me as being just I know they're well made and well engineered, but I still think some of them are expensive. So the fan's probably gonna be in the is the is it is it the cool one with the big gap in the middle? ⁓ right. ⁓ that's so I was gonna say like £150, but I'm sure they're like ⁓ no, they could be around that. Maybe mm £200. Trying to s I'm trying to prick a pipe a price point that I'd like be happy with online, and it's just not a good way of doing it because I'm such a cheapscape. ⁓ okay, let's go. I think. Joel: Yeah. Long, thin Alex: The fan could be anywhere up to sort of two hundred and fifty. It that's way more than I thought the card would be. So I'm gonna have to say the fan. I think the card's gonna be sat around two hundred. Joel: It is a correct answer. But your prices are a little off. Get ready for the price of this fan. The fan comes in at £349.99. Which is pricey. And the card recently. Alex: ⁓ okay. ⁓ right, okay. Lucky then. Ooh. Joel: has kind of like risen. There's been a couple of sales in the US, which I think has pushed the price up. And that came in at three hundred and nine pounds and eighty two. Prior to that, it was in around two hundred and one fifty before. So like it has really jumped. But yeah, the fan, the Dyson fan comes in right at the top. Alex: Wow. Okay. Okay. Yep, completely out, but I think I I understand that. We only talked about how the Chinese colour boomed, so it's you it's not surprising. Joel: Okay, the final one, okay? The pinnacle of this what's worth more. The Sunbrion, okay? Which it's the Umbreon EX161 from Prismatic Raw. Okay, so that card Raw versus. Now we've obviously been in a heat wave, and we do need to cool ourselves down. So why not go with your partner? Alex: True. Joel: on a seven night stay in Iceland at a four star hotel from the second of January. Alex: Okay. Okay. I I think you've stuck to the theme absolutely spot on here, so you know Joel: I mean I could have done the date around now to go to Iceland, but I picked around the second of January 'cause sort of a popular time. Yeah. Alex: Yeah, you wanna be cool. I g I get that. So the problem I've got here is I think I know what that card's roughly worth. ⁓ I don't know if it's wiggled recently, but I remember picking it up maybe when we started the pod and having a look around it then. ⁓ so my question though is with the with the trip, is that for two people? Joel: Two people seven nights in a four star hotel on the second of January. Alex: Is that I'm gonna be having so many questions, but is that travel included and th and flights? Joel: Flights and hotel. Alex: ⁓ my gosh. Okay. I know it's January, so that does knock it back a bit, but this is one where you do have to think, what would I actually want more? Because January time, you know, those those winter blues, you want to go somewhere nice. Well, that's not bad. So I think the card sits around the thousand pound mark. I don't think I know it may have got a bit more than that, but I think it actually had a bit of a pullback. ⁓ I just don't know if. Joel: Yep, just going into the new year. Alex: I think I'd be daft to say the holidays I know you've probably found one that sits under it just for the bit, but I've got to say I think the holiday is more expensive. So I think I c I think you can't do that that trip that you've just described for less than a thousand for two,

'cause that'd be five hundred each. Flights and accommodation for that length of time. You'd you're snapping a holiday like that up, so go on. That's that's what I'm going with. Holidays more expensive. Joel: I did you a solid this time because I was very, very close to finding an option which was less. But this one this one did come in slightly above. So that is three out of the five this week for you. So that's a good effort. The Umbreon came in at one thousand and fifty six and some change. And this holiday which Alex: Strong finish. Okay. Joel: surprises me how how cheap it was. ⁓ but yeah, came in at one thousand one hundred and eighteen and there were slightly cheaper options and there was one option that was less than the Umbreon card on a different date. But I put it so that it was slightly above. Alex: I mean which one are you taking ⁓ the Sunbrian or a holiday to Iceland? Joel: ⁓ so I mean it's it's pretty close. Like I really want to go to Iceland. and around that time, Northern Lights obviously that's extra expense, but I mean I I I think I might take the holiday. I I d I think I might take the holiday at that price to Iceland. Alex: Yeah. I don't know, once you get there you just have to go outside. Yeah. I can see why I can see why someone, if you're a you know, a an Umbreon fan would would completely disagree with us on this one. ⁓ I'd be interested to know though how many people are turning a holiday like that down. But, you know. Joel: It was to Reykjavik as well. It wasn't like just some random place. It was like four star hotel in Reykjavik. I don't know, but it was s seven seven days. But yeah, good good effort. Great effort. ⁓ three of five, which kind of scares me a little bit because before this week, I felt like I had a bit of an upper hand on you, and then obviously we pulled pulled level last week and you've really now set that bar again. Because if we're saying it's fifty fifty Alex: How many places are there nice than Thank you. It's ⁓ gone. Joel: And you've you've gone and done three or five, that's sixty percent. So I need to fall that side next time. Alex: That's it. Before you know it will s will it things will swing back, don't worry, but I'm gonna take it while I've got the ⁓ while I've got the bragging rights. Joel: Yeah. Alex: Amazing. Right. So we should probably turn to our Pokec segment, which regular listeners now will know where we take a topic and try and ⁓ discuss various aspects of it to determine whether something is is necessarily good or bad or whether we have a particular side on on topics that ⁓ might be a little bit controversial or conflicting at times. ⁓ we we've decided this week that the topic's gonna revolve again around the Pokemon Center and effectively pre-ordering. ⁓ because we we've mentioned this on a couple of episodes now, and particularly the one where we we we've sort of ⁓ chatted about how much of a mess it seems to be at times. And then you pointed out in the research for this episode you you turned around and said wait two months ago they announced this early access system and we've not even touched on it. And then we sort of went, ⁓ yeah, when when was this meant to be happening? What's going on here? And the last update was the 10th of April. So ⁓ it's something that we want to just explore a little bit more. It gives us a a full opportunity to discuss whether an early ac early access system would be beneficial or not. and this this definitely sparks some conversation for people. So ⁓ it's one where I think it's we can definitely dive into it a little bit. ⁓ where do you want to start? Joel: Well, I think it'd be good to kind of just give a little bit of detail and kind of fill it out for everybody who's listening who may not have heard about this, but essentially they came up with this system where if you subscribe to the newsletter, you have the opportunity of being invited, or you potentially have the opportunity of being invited to early access of popular products that are going to be hitting the Pokemon Center. Alex: Mm. Joel: Now, just because you subscribe to the newsletter doesn't mean you're guaranteed an invite. And there is ⁓ kind of a criteria that no one knows about, but it doesn't seemingly involve having a Pokemon Center account because you can get invited and then create a Pokemon Center account to purchase from the invite. So that seemingly is not part of the criteria, which then to me would suggest that you know. Activity on the Pokemon Center historically may not be a criteria. So what that actual criteria is, who knows? ⁓ but if you meet the eligibility doesn't necessarily mean that you're guaranteed an invite either. It needs to be subscriber, meet the eligibility, and then lucky that you happen to be a person who gets sent a a unique link. And then from that you unique then from that unique link, you're able to then access the Pokemon Center and get early access to these products. Now, I've not seen an example of this because I don't think it's actually been released yet. And if anyone has had this email and I've not heard about it or read about it, please let us know. But by the sounds of it, you will receive an email with a unique link that has an expiry on it. What that might be is a couple of hours, maybe a day, I'm not really sure. And it's supposed to allow people who are working and are not able to be at a computer when these products are releasing. giving them an opportunity to be able to access it when they have some free time. However, if you get a link, they say it doesn't guarantee you products because these products high demand, limited supply. So even if you get a link, it still doesn't guarantee you purchasing. So ultimately if you get a link, you want to jump on and and buy it straight away. That's the that's the concept. They also said that If you spam multiple links, there will be a way in which they identify that and could potentially void your unique ⁓ your unique link. They

may be able to completely remove it so you can't have access. And it is a single use and shouldn't be shared. So that's the idea. Now my take on it, I think it's good. Like I think it's good because one of the big problems with one of the big there's lots, but one of the problems is Alex: Mm. Joel: For those who are working, when they have these popular drops, they often can be around five o'clock in the evening. Now, some people are still in work, some people are commuting. You know, the and and and some people will be at home and you know, having to maintain family life, whatever that might entail, right? So Not everyone can get to a computer, get on their phone to access these products, but by giving them the opportunity to pre-subsbe, ⁓ obviously subscribing to the new t newsletter and getting the content from the newsletter, but also having the opportunity of potentially getting this link and then getting on when they have the chance. It's similar in a way to the Amazon link, but obviously the the products, you know, these would be products that are potentially not even out yet that you'll get access to. What are your thoughts? Alex: I think you've obviously raised ⁓ the main points for it first and and in your sort of explanation, I think they've made very clear the the intention for this system. It's worth just reiterating this is different to the system that's that's coming into Japan into Japan, isn't it? So it's not it's not an ID based system. It it's purely early access lottery. Okay. ⁓ And the wording that they've used from and again, remember this announcement was April and we've all sort of passed over it like it didn't really exist or we've we've forgotten about it. ⁓ but it does imply that loyal customers will have better chances, despite no criteria being mentioned. and that again, anytime they use that no guarantee, it's almost like well, they say that for the Pokemon queue. ⁓ And that's what they're really trying to avoid. So if you go through all this just to end up in a more defined queue, for me, I I'm not as optimistic, I think, as you are, as things stand, just purely based on the information that we've had. I do think there are some benefits that we probably should address with it. but I am frustrated at the lack of transparency. and I know that they can't explicitly share their. their criteria because then obviously bots are then going to be trained to to navigate that. But again, why have a system that that real people collectors can't take advantage of? it's it's one where the system should should be the system should be good enough to beat bots without collectors feeling like they're having to jump through hoops. And yes, that is an incredibly hard task to achieve. But something with something like this it can be done. All you have to do is allocate accounts to dedicated people, people that have a history of buying certain things, or you know, you I'm sure there's ways in which it can be done. We just need to see it

in action and now it just sound now it just feels like this isn't gonna happen for a for a while. but I'm sure there's other good reasons for it. Have you got any other pro points? so another thing that we should probably ⁓ take from this, if it does come to light that the information that they've provided is legitimate in some form of of system that comes to place. And that's that it will actually reward legitimate c collectors and customers. So those that have brought from po you know, from Pokemon Center ⁓ over years, again, if this is in this is if in the case that the criteria does revolve around some form of purchasing Purchasing previously means that those that have bought will buy and will get chance. And that's all that people are asking for. so Joel: there's with this that bit the bit that confuses me about this though is if you think of the number of people who will have purchased from the Pokemon Center in the past, which is obviously huge, right? That pool is massive. Yet in the wording they suggest that you don't need to have an account and you could still, you know, you could still get one of these unique links. But if the pool is so vast for the people who have purchased before, how do Alex: Mm. Joel: those people who have never had a Pokemon Center account get access to that link without including almost everybody. So that's where I get a little bit confused here. Now you know it might be part of a greater list of criteria and it's just one of many and you can tick tick at numerous boxes and that gets you in. I you know it's all it's all speculation. But I would have thought and I agree with you the loyalty And the history of purchasing and not even just, you know, pre-orders, right? Purchasing other things from the Pokemon Center. I would have thought that would have, you know, risen you up in the criteria. Yet this wording around you don't necessarily need an account. And if you follow the link and you haven't got an account, you can create one through the link and you're able to purchase from there suggests that those people who don't have accounts could still get a link. And that obviously navigates past all of these this massive pool of people who have got a history purchasing from there. Alex: Again, transparency on how the criteria's gonna work is probably needed to be able to justify how that how that's gonna work. Because you can't have it both ways. ⁓ it just doesn't make sense. It it completely contradicts each other. The last the last point I kind of want to make on why I'm a little bit against ⁓ ha this this as a system in general is I was listening to the the Rip and Sip guys ⁓ and ⁓ they made a really good point of ⁓ something we've before, which is that the Amazon invites for the for the lotto system that's in place for the Amazon ⁓ product seemed to be better six months to a year ago and all of a sudden no one's got anything and ⁓ it's not just us that were saying we're not gonna think, they were saying that they've not had anything for a long time. Now we now know that's because of bot b bot behavior, and it's very likely that that system needs revamping as well. What if this system, despite what they're what they've mentioned, what if the system is the same and it's just a lotto system and you just spam accounts, sign up to a news pay news sign up to the The word's gone. Newsletter, thank you. You sign up to the newsletter with a bot account. Before you know it, you can spam just as many bot accounts. As soon as we sign up to this and we don't get something, we're instantly going to assume it's bots. And then you sort of fe you're gonna get the fear of missing out again. You're gonna want to blame systems that are in place when it could be a perfectly good system. You've just gotten lucky in the lotto. so it's one where Joel: Newsletter. Alex: How do you test a system like this? You can't. You just have to try it and see if it works. I get that. But the selfish part of me thinks if I don't get something from it, it's a system that's not gonna work. But I know that's not how it works. It's it's just one that has to be fair across multiple drops. Joel: Yeah, I completely agree. And again, they announced this two months ago. We've had some pretty big releases, including some car crash releases since then. So why announce it and then not have it utilized? Because I would find it quite difficult to say that it has been used because we would have heard about it or we would have seen someone mention it. So to release it two months ago and it not to be in play for Chaos Rising and Pitch Black, and you know, most ⁓ and most notably that pitch black release, which we know didn't didn't go down so well. You know, it feels like a bit of a tease at this point, and also puts into a question how how you know how useful is it gonna be if we're, you know, if we've not we're not seeing it yet. So, you know, the jury's not out on it yet. Alex: Mm. Joel: I I really do hope it improves things. I don't think it'll be the the end system that they'll end up using, but I hope it's an improvement. But my question here is, what is stopping those people who do get the link then joining the queue when it does go live for everybody else? Alex: Mm-hmm. Joel: So some people get lucky and then they still join the queue. So the queue length doesn't change. And some people get an opportunity of getting it twice. Now there might be something in there stopping duplication. But we've seen people be able to do it in the past, right? So that's a question that kind of concerns me a little bit. And, you know, they they they say here that they've got things in place to stop that. But at the moment, I I know, I'm sure I've read and heard that before. And I I and I know there are people getting multiples from these drops currently, ⁓ whether it's through bots or, you know, using multiple accounts. So if they have a system right now, that that's not foolproof. So Alex: Yeah. Joel: puts into

question whether what they're saying will be foolproof going forward. Alex: It it doesn't give you confidence, does it, when the system that they've already got is so bad and can be so easily manipulated. You you just know the next one that comes along isn't going to be bulletproof. So I think you're absolutely right. It will be one where it can probably still be min manipulated to an extent, or just gives a small proportion of the field a a much bigger advantage for for multiples when it actu and and that in in sort of By association, that then reduces the pull for everybody else. So that is a fair point, and I've I've not thought of that actually. it's it's one where, again, if it reduces my chances personally and those that I know that are trying for it, it's not a system that I can wholeheartedly get behind. And for that reason, and mainly the the darkness that surrounds it since it's dropped two months ago, I just don't think it's one that we should. fully endorsed just yet until we know more about it. I think I would be much more inclined to want to try what the Japanese are attempting to do. I just think it's it's much more secure. ⁓ something with an ID base so that you know the person that's signing up for that account has can ⁓ it is sort of is who they say they are. That surely is the way around bots and and how to stop that. But again, there probably is a way I've not thought of that people could get round it. ⁓ If you had to pick a side are y are you sort of for early access or or against it? Joel: The optimist in me lands on the side of for it. However, it comes with a lot of question marks. And the big thing that is in the back of my mind right now is what we've got on the horizon. And that is 30th anniversary and the Rayquaza set. Like both of those are gonna have serious demand. And this system If it comes in and it does what it's intended to do, then that's gonna be useful over those the over those releases. Because otherwise, if it doesn't do what it intends to do, then we just saw what happened with Pitch Black, and those two are gonna be way, way more in demand. I I don't I, you know, that that kind of concerns me from a from a collector's perspective and That that's why my c I'm not fully there. The optimist, I'm on the side of it's an improvement. Is it foolproof? Probably not, but it's an improvement. However, it's it's at this point it's a necessity. Alex: Yeah, and I think seeing as you've mentioned some of the sets that are coming up, it's only really right that we we sort of give them their dues because these sets are going to be bigger than the sets that we've seen already this year. ⁓ Give or Take Ascended Heroes, Chaos Rising, even pitch black to in a s to a to a level. People want it because the demand for it is there. But that will not be as big as a set with a with with Rayquaza in it. It's not going to be as big as the 30th. despite what some some of the comments on the TikTok for us are saying about how the artworks are so bad. ⁓ so yeah, we you know, they're the stress tests for any system that are coming into place. I don't think you could get a system into place for the 30th. I think they've left it too late almost. So I'm trying to gauge what they're gonna do. And I by the sounds of it on looks at as things stand. Joel: Ha ha ha. Alex: They're just gonna stick with what they've got at the moment, which is not working either. so again, the pessimist in me is not liking which way things are looking like they're going at the moment. Joel: Okay, I'm gonna keep I'm gonna keep the balance here. I'm gonna go I'm gonna fall on the optimistic side. I'll le I'll leave this one I'll leave this one balanced until we see it. ⁓ I'm optimistic that it will make an improvement. I don't think it's gonna radically change things, but I I'll I'll be honest, after the pitch back release, anything that comes in has got to be an improvement at this point, right? So that's that's kind of where I'm gonna stand on it. ⁓ and Alex: Yeah. Perfect. Joel: I think we can call court closed on this one, ⁓ and we'll both fall on on different sides. But we'll you know, we'll we'll see. We'll see. Alex: Yeah. It's one where actually we do act probably have slightly differing expectations, so it's it's nice to be on opposite sides for a change. ⁓ but speaking of ⁓ Storm Emeralda, this week we had ⁓ release update news around all things ⁓ mega rayquaza set. ⁓ so for those that are interested in in product release news, this is this is for you really. ⁓ so In the Japanese set it will be called Storm ⁓ Emeralda, ⁓ due to drop on july thirty first. and in English it has been confirmed as Delta Rain, ⁓ which will be launched much later in the year, ⁓ November sixth, ⁓ obviously later this year. You've got some thoughts on this, haven't you? Joel: Yeah, there's you can kinda let your mind start to wander here. I mean, firstly, it's wild that the Japanese set is releasing end of July and then we're not getting the English set until November. That in in my head, surely that English set is just not gonna exactly mimic the Japanese set. There's gonna have to be something else in there to to to build that set up. But as far as I know, between now and then, the only thing that is coming out in y across both regions is Is the 30th anniversary because I think back end of November we might be due another Japanese set roughly. But by that point, either they're gonna bring out some of that in the English beforehand, which you don't often see, or there may be some exclusives or some things that we've maybe seen in other, you know, other sets from Japan, or maybe even maybe even some simplified Chin Chinese cards that happen to fall into that. ⁓ f fall into the English ⁓ Delta Rain set. But I've I think I think you can let your imagination run wild with this because Because as part of the news that we had this week, we did see a split stadium card, right? Which is very reminiscent of what we saw from

let me get this right now. Yeah, we saw from Heart Gold and Soul Silver. ⁓ back in I think it was like twenty ten, right? So fifteen, sixteen years ago, long time ago, where they essentially split ⁓ cards. So you had two cards that kind of married up. And we've seen we've seen connecting cards over recent sets, but these are specifically one card that come together, including text and artwork. And and they and they form the whole card. So we're seeing that come into the Japanese ⁓ release. They they have released an example of a stadium that you need the two cards that need to be played together. But then that got me thinking, right? That got me thinking about what else could we see Whether it be in the Japanese set or when we get round to Delta Rain, the name Delta Rain immediately casts you back to Delta Spe species, which was again even further back. Like I think we're talking two thousand and five at this point. Back then, they released Delta Species Pokemon which had different typing to what you would have expected. So, for example, let me throw one out there: Bulbasaur that is a water type, but it would still have the same weakness, so it would be weak to fire. And I think that it's not a stretch that they might bring that back. Because if you think about recently, with Black Bolt White Flare, they paid homage to the hollow style with the streaky hollows. We've had Megas come back. We've had Pokemon trainer cards, as in Pokemon with their trainers, come back in both illustration form and just common and uncommon and rares. You know, it's not a stretch to think that they delve back into that Delta species and they bring in some Pokemon with different typing. Alex: Mm. I think it's it's really not a bad shout at all. ⁓ there's been a lot of speculation ⁓ about what what they're gonna do with this this set in English and the the massive gap in between. and therefore is it going to be a special ⁓ consideration? Are there gonna be extra bits that we're we're expecting? You know, there's there's there's mention of well, if it's generation three, we've had the dark rye, what about What about Crowdon? What Kyogre? What you know, are these guys gonna get some love? Because yes, they've had illustration rares in in sets, ⁓ but they've they've not mainstayed a set for a long time. so something s something like a Delta Species ⁓ re revision is is not a bad shout. ⁓ again, these are cards that sort of were way beyond where before I started back in back in the hobby again. So I've you know couldn't really pick out any that that ⁓ do stand out for me. But there will be people that love this idea and really want to see it come back. ⁓ and in the year where the thirtieth is all about reminiscing on card styles that you've done and ⁓ paying homage, if it's a perfect fit. Joel: Exactly that. And I mean, couple that with there's gonna be a Rayquaza in the set, which we again, we haven't seen that for a while. This set could I mean, it seems like the perfect set to follow the 30th anniversary, right? Because there's gonna be a lot of hype around the 30th anniversary and there could be a fear that the set that follows sort of falls flat. I can't see how this set falls flat. Let me repeat that. I can't see how this set falls flat. Alex: No, it's it's it's Rayquaza. So let's just take a second just to take a step back, sit down, have a drink. Rayquaza will never flop. I d I can't see it happening. Even even the mega form, ⁓ it's it's just an absolute star, isn't it? It's it's people's favourites for a reason. It stands out in in that generation. and let's not forget it hasn't headlined Joel: Speaking of. Alex: As a sort of expansion itself, so Rayquaza, since Evolving Skies. And it's like if you even mention the words Evolving Skies, you've automatically added another fifty percent of people trying to trying to get involved. So ⁓ there are too many factors in this that just drive hype. And we just know what hype does to Pokemon sets. ⁓ It's it's done it with the sets that have come out recently where previously they may not have had as much ⁓ as much demand. So I think I think there's nothing this set can do that will tarnish or reduce ⁓ people's expectations. People will be expecting the absolute best from this set and they will go out and they will want it. Joel: Exactly that. And you touched on Evolving Skies. And funny enough, when Evolving Skies first came out, the Rayquaza card was the the hit. That was the number one chase. That was right at the top of the pile. It wasn't until there was this hysteria around the Moon Brion, which I'll be honest isn't my favorite card from the whole set. But there was, you know, that then rose and and and took the top spot. So, you know It's not unknown for Rayquaza to carry a set. Not that it was necessarily carrying Evolving Skies, but it was top the pile until there was this fan base around around the Umbreon. So I think, you know, this it kind of scares me a little bit because we've already token ⁓ we've already spoken about it with the Pokemon Center, but it kind of scares me at what is the access going to be like to you know, the the actual product itself because you're gonna have the Pokemon Center release, but when it hits the stores, you know, it's not gonna be sat on the shelf. And it, you know, it it makes me think of Destined Rivals, right? Because there is a lot of hype about this set. It people have been talking about the Rayquaza set since last year. I'm pretty sure that's when we found out about ⁓ Storm Emeralda as a as a name. Alex: Mm. Joel: So people have been talking about a Rayquaza sets coming, it's coming, it's coming. Building the hype, is it same level as Destiny Rivals? Probably not, but it's still gonna have the demand that we've you know, we've we've seen around that sort of release. And getting access to product is just gonna be it's gonna be tough. It's gonna be tough out there. And that's the one thing that I may actually let the set

down, sadly. Alex: I th I think hold on. I think you raise a good point. And I'm gonna s sideline this slightly with ⁓ the these the extremes people will go to to get sets that they think will do well. ⁓ Did you see madness that came out of this ⁓ release for of Evolutions from Costco this last week? ⁓ Joel: I did. It's it blows my mind, honestly. We've spoken about it time and time again and just it's not improving and and we were if anything, getting worse to a degree. Alex: Yeah. And and I know by me, the Chester Costco, there were people waiting for up to twelve hours. There was there was more conflict and we're seeing that at more and more of these drops. This is a set that's been out for years and yes, it's been printed into the ground, but people want it. And it's it's very much the case that sets like that are formed from hype that is just completely unrealistic. And I I just worry that a Rayquaza set would would do something like that in the long run. ⁓ yes, but there's a lot more to be revealed and and yes, you know, it will it will hinge on what certain cards look like and but this is the this has all the makings, it has a foundation for a set that people are gonna go absolutely mental for. And part of that makes me think, ⁓ no, is it one that I really want to get behind? But you kind of want to, because you want to, you know, you you fall into that avalanche of people's expectations with a set like this. So again, we'll we'll have more information as it comes out. ⁓ it it's one where there will be a lot of information from the Japanese set. We won't know how that will translate into the English set because there's such a long gap. ⁓ but obviously we'll we'll try and update people as we can. Joel: Yeah, I think you can probably safely say whatever is in this Japanese set will be in the English. It's just what could potentially be on top of that. So we will get an idea of, you know, the Mega Rayqua we will get an idea of the Mega Rayquaza illustration. It'll probably have a gold card following suit with the mega series. So I'm excited to see what they are. Alex: Mm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Joel: However, yeah, I don't think we can rest on the the laurels that that is all that's gonna come in Delta Rain. And, you know, we may, we may not see the Delta species in the Japanese. So that will put into question that theory. But if we do see it in there, I'm you know, I'm I'm excited. I'm excited. ⁓ because, like you said, it's been a while since Rayquaza's headlined and it's it's one of my one of my favorites. It's not the favourite, but it's one of my favorites. So I'm gonna be absolutely chasing this. And I don't think I'm gonna be the only one. Alex: I think you will be from from everywhere you look. ⁓ there's definitely people people mentioning it, people talking about it. And that's only gonna get worse. You know, we've we've got a we've got a long way to go. So let's ⁓ let's hope it's not completely out of the realms of possibility in in getting

some. That's that's all we ask for, isn't it? Right. Joel: One more thing before we wrap this up that I have actually forgotten to mention to this point is this is kind of a first to a degree where they are announcing the Japanese set, the English set, which is obviously coming much further down the line, but they are also announcing the the Pokemon TCG Pocket set, which is releasing on exactly the same day as the Japanese set. So I'm wondering whether we start to see more kind of joint releases like this. Obviously when it comes to the 30th anniversary, that's going to be releasing internationally as well. So whether they might start to do set releases all altogether so that it avoids any sort of surprise and people get the idea of, you know, what's coming in Japanese, what's coming in English, ⁓ all at the same time. So there isn't there is a new there and you know, credit Pokey Beach for that one because that's where I took ⁓ took the resource from. ⁓ and being a player of Pokemon. TCG pocket. I'm interested to see what the artworks they bring to that. And I'll tell you what, something completely off off the side of here is wouldn't it be cool? And I and I'm sure and some people must be thinking this as well. Wouldn't it be cool to see a pocket set come out at some point? Alex: So I I've not played Pocket for a little while. I've I've sort of fallen off that that cycle. So ⁓ I'm assuming the artworks are just as good as they were then. But from a from a slight naivety point of view, do the sets match up? Have they ever matched up up until now? Has there ever been a card in Pocket that has been real? Joel: There there have been cards in Pocket that match up with real cards. They're actually playing catch-up. ⁓ so some of the recent sets that have been coming out are sets that we've seen in Scarlet and Violet, not by name, but by cards that are within them. ⁓ so there are some duplications, which does then make you think that I mean, this could have been a whole sec section on its own, but it does make you think that in the future. Alex: Okay. Yeah. Joel: we could see a Pokemon T C pocket set come out. 'Cause we've seen Pokemon go. You know, that's you know, we've seen a set. No reason no reason why we can't see see it from this application as well and this game. Alex: That's true. Yep, and I again I'm not completely oblivious to it. I know some of the some of the earlier sets. ⁓ I've got a lot more of it on on Pokemon Pocket. And some of those immersive artworks would look incredible. So ⁓ even even even sort of some of those as a small set or as promos, I think would work. It's just how do you pick and choose? There's probably been so many now. ⁓ you could fill a full calendar year with with those. So I would like to see some. I I completely get I'm behind you on that one. It's just more how does how do they pick that and how do they fit it into their schedule, which just seems to be so full of other ideas at the moment. You know, it it's safe

to say that we're not we're not short here on ideas. They're living up to the hype and and and they're filling the gaps for people. ⁓ even though they're they're they're rehashing a lot of the old ⁓ aspects of of card styles and card themes. They're doing a good job in getting new artworks out there. So We we're good on we're good on ideas. It's just we always have better ones, don't we? Joel: Exactly that. And to kind of tie this all back, so the Pokemon TCG Pocket set will be called Ruler of the Skies. And the reason why I kind of wanted to mention it here at the end is just to see how much ⁓ duplication there is of cards. There might might be none, or they may actually completely mimic the set. I I w you know we we don't know yet. So I'm interested to see how that one plays out because being released on the same day. makes you think that there's gonna be some cards that feature both digitally and physically that are gonna be the same and could be the first time we see that. Equally, they might be two completely different sets, but of the same theming. You know, we'll we'll we'll look forward to seeing that one. Alex: Mm. Mm-hmm. It I it would be incredibly cruel if if it if they were completely different. I can see why they'd do it, ⁓ but again it it feels really harsh just to just sort of tease that idea of there being ⁓ matches and there there just not being anything associated with them. But you know, time will tell. Joel: I think if I was to take a if I was to predict it right now, you'll see some commons and uncommons that are similar. You won't see the top cards the same. Alex: Mm. Joel: Because they don't want they kind of want to keep some exclusivity to the physical game, I think, from the digital. And you can obviously do a little bit more on the digital side when it comes to the immersive cards. So I think you'll see s there might be a couple of illustration rares that are are similar, but I think when it comes to those top cards, yeah, I think I don't think they'll match those up. Alex: Yeah, that that's the answer, isn't it? Why would they why would they take people away from trying to buy the real cards when they they can just get them in game with patience? Yeah, it's it's I I get that. And I think they would be shooting themselves in the foot if they if they really tried to sort of expand out and and cross cross duplicate exclusiv at the end of the day, exclusivity is king. So they'll they'll want to keep that as part of the main aspect for it. Joel: I think that's a perfect place to wrap up. Something we've got to look forward to. Al, where can everybody find you? Alex: Yeah. You can find me at Hook Cards, ⁓ on Instagram, as well as with yourself on Binder and Brew Podcast. Thank you for listening. Joel, where can people find you? Joel: They can find me at ⁓ Koi Cards UK on Instagram. We have a website and we're also on eBay. But once again, great podcast. ⁓ and we'll catch you in the next one. Alex: See later. Bye. Bye, but bye.