Just in time for its 25th anniversary, the Pokemon franchise has seen an incredible resurgence in popularity, with Pokemon Sword and Shield becoming some of the best-selling mainline titles, New Pokemon Snap releasing to high sales and overwhelming praise, and a fresh take on the classic anime that has fans hooked. However, perhaps the most significant resurgence in popularity has been that of the Pokemon TCG.
COVID-19 has caused many different markets to struggle, halting supply while demand rapidly increases, leading to endless scalping of video game consoles, PC graphics cards, and of course, trading cards. The Pokemon TCG may have been hit the hardest, as fans not only began to recognize the incredible value in older cards, but the newer releases as well. Now, a website is offering fans a way to get paid to hunt for Pokemon cards.
Inspired by a particular distaste for scalpers, pop culture site FandomSpot has introduced a new Pokemon Card Hunters service. The service is meant to connect individuals who have the time to hunt for Pokemon cards with fans who don't have such a luxury but do have the money to pay for cards. After completing a form, hunters and buyers with similar criteria will be matched up together to then carry out business.
Pokemon card hunters can earn $60 an hour searching for cards, and there is also an option to be hired as an online hunter, so some individuals with more free time on their hands may not have to even leave their homes to help out their fellow Pokemon fans. The Pokemon Card Hunters service is exclusive to the US, and of course, those interested will need to be 18 years or older and have to provide proof of identification. FandomSpot recommends that once matched up with each other, hunters and buyers should draw up a contract as to what is expected during any given transaction. Perhaps this will stop some fans from resorting to stealing Pokemon cards.
What's more, hunters and buyers can agree to include bonuses as well, should a particularly rare Pokemon card be found, such as the Shining Fates expansion's infamous rainbow Shiny Charizard Max card. The card hunting service even includes hunting for special promotions, like the heavily scalped General Mills Pokemon card promotion.
Earlier this year, fans went into a frenzy to find Pokemon cards inside of McDonald's Happy Meals as part of celebrations for the franchise's 25th anniversary. Things got out of hand to the point where McDonald's even issued an official statement on the situation. Regardless, it seems that more genuine Pokemon fans hope to put a stop to scalping by working together now.
Source: FandomSpot