The Pokémon Trading Card Game has seen an explosion in popularity in 2022. Here is why TCG collectibles could end up losing their value soon.

Although Pokémon Trading Card Game collectibles have seen an incredible jump in value since 2019, TCG card prices could end up crashing in the future as a result of decisions made by The Pokémon Company International. The TCG originally launched in 1996 before making its worldwide debut two years later with the Base Set expansion, themed around the Pokémon Red and Blue RPGs. Despite being decades old, the Nintendo tabletop game has seen a major revival in popularity with Pokémon card prices skyrocketing to never-before-seen levels. However, the booming TCG market could finally even out soon due to a variety of factors.

When the TCG originally launched worldwide in 1998, it couldn't have been predicted that Pokémon cards would one day be worth as much as a house. Many classic cards are selling for record-shattering prices, such as the iconic Base Set Charizard which sold for $420,000 at a 2022 auction. In April, Logan Paul's Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card even made a Guinness World Record, after the 27-year-old YouTuber paid a staggering 5.2 million USD for the rare Japanese promo collectible.

Related: What Pokémon Cards Are Worth The Most Money In 2022

Even modern Pokémon cards have seen a major increase in prices, with some collectibles worth hundreds of dollars just days after their release. While the demand has never been higher for the Nintendo hobby, the Pokémon card bubble might actually burst sooner than some collectors have expected. Below is a breakdown of why certain Pokémon TCG cards could lose a lot of value in the next few years.

Although most expensive Pokémon cards have come from retro 90s expansions, the modern TCG has also been impacted by the booming market. Because of surging prices, the TCG became flooded by scalpers trying to make a profit on the popular card game. As a result, there was a massive TCG shortage in 2020, with many Pokémon card sets being sold out as soon as they were made available. During the launch of the Pokémon Shining Fates TCG set, many fans were not actually able to find booster packs for up to six months after the expansion's release. The problem became so bad popular retailers like Target even temporarily suspended the sales of TCG products altogether.

All of this changed in 2021, when The Pokémon Company began drastically increasing TCG production to combat the shortage problems. According to Serebii owner Joe Merrick, the Nintendo company produced over 9.2 billion additional Pokémon cards in 2021 alone. The increase in products put an end to the stock problems plaguing the tabletop game for the past two years and allowed access to new Pokémon Sword and Shield TCG sets without any problems.

Related: Why Logan Paul Owning World's Most Expensive Pokémon Card Is Bad For Fans

One of the biggest factors driving up the price of collectibles was the low supply and exploding demand. With TCG products now abundantly available in stores, collectors have already seen modern card prices begin to drop. Compared to 2020, sets like Brilliant Stars and the Pokémon GO TCG haven't had cards selling for thousands of dollars. The Pokémon Company might even be over-producing products according to Pokémon expert Charlie Hurlocker. With each TCG expansion now being mass-printed, this will result in more rare cards being available to the public, dropping value across the board.

When the TCG was released in the 90s, Magic: The Gathering publisher Wizards of the Coast was responsible for printing most of the classic Pokémon card expansions. In 2003, Nintendo split ways with the company and took back the license of the TCG. Since then, most modern releases like 2022's Pokémon Astral Radiance TCG expansion have been produced by the Millennium Print Group.

In May, The Pokémon Company announced the purchase of the card manufacturer and has taken over the complete printing of the TCG. The merger not only means better quality control, but it will also result in the Japanese company having more say over the game's production. With the TCG already seeing a major increase in products being made since 2021, it is hoped the acquisition will help prevent any shortages in the future. It is also possible The Pokémon Company will be able to add new features to Pokémon TCG expansions or experiment with new card types that weren't possible previously.

Unfortunately, players looking to rebuild their childhood Pokémon TCG collection may continue to struggle, as classic Pokémon cards will likely remain fairly expensive. Unlike modern sets, the expansions from the 90s are out of print. Scalpers and investors trying to make money were able to take advantage of the market boom and bought up a large number of the remaining vintage sets. Rare Pokémon TCG Collector's Edition items and retro sets like Jungle and Team Rocket will likely continue to climb in value as time goes on.

Related: Your Gold Pokémon Cards From Burger King Won't Make You Rich

However, vintage TCG card prices may begin to cool, with prices steadily coming down over the last year. For example, the rare Base Set Charizard card has seen a flux in value as of 2022. According to grading company PSA, a grade 10 version of the collectible sold for $17,000 in June. The drop is substantial, considering the same Charizard Pokémon card sold for an astonishing $75,000 in 2021. While classic TCG items are still incredibly expensive, their downward trend could make some of the cards more attainable for players looking to purchase them.

While it isn't currently possible to predict a true Pokémon TCG value drop, the possibility does hold a number of benefits for fans of the series. Those who enjoy competing, playing casually, or simply collecting Pokémon Cards won't need to be as concerned about availability when new sets are released. Additionally, the will become more accessible to younger players, who make up TCG's target audience. It is even possible the over-saturation of Pokémon TCG content on the market could help lower major retail costs for booster packs and ETBs, allowing more players to enjoy the hobby or start playing more regularly. While the drop in price could be a bummer for those looking to make money off the Pokémon Trading Card Game, it will likely be a benefit for players as a whole.

Next: Pokémon Cards That Should Be Worth A Lot Of Money (But Aren’t)

Sources: Joe Merrick/Twitter, Charlie Hurlocker/Polygon, The Pokémon Company, PSA

Brent R. Koepp is a games journalist based out of Los Angeles, CA. An avid Pokemon fan for over 25 years, he has spent his career reporting on the popular Nintendo franchise. Following his role as a Pokemon Content Lead at another company, Brent is now a Pokemon Senior Writer for Screen Rant.