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INTEREST: Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Finally Surpasses Magic: The Gathering's Search Term Popularity in U.S.




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BodaciousSpacePirate
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Joined: 17 Apr 2015
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 4:52 pm Reply with quote
Interestingly, when you narrow the time period to just the past week, it seems like there is a similar jump in searches for Magic every time there's a jump for searches for Yu-Gi-Oh (almost always in the middle of the night, too):

https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=now%207-d&geo=US&q=%2Fm%2F04rhz,%2Fm%2F039h3r,%2Fm%2F027qg4
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AmpersandsUnited



Joined: 22 Mar 2012
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:38 pm Reply with quote
We already knew YGO overtook MTG in sales a long time ago. Bragging about a specific search term on a specific search engine in a specific country is kind of paultry by comparison.

It does remind me of all those YouTubers and Twitch streams of guys storming into Walmart and other stores on shipment day and buy out all the Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards instantly and there's be nothing left on the shelves but the untouched MTG stuff.
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BodaciousSpacePirate
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 10:02 pm Reply with quote
AmpersandsUnited wrote:
We already knew YGO overtook MTG in sales a long time ago. Bragging about a specific search term on a specific search engine in a specific country is kind of paultry by comparison.

It does remind me of all those YouTubers and Twitch streams of guys storming into Walmart and other stores on shipment day and buy out all the Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards instantly and there's be nothing left on the shelves but the untouched MTG stuff.


It's not like Magic is even doing bad. Magic sales were up something like 60% in 2021 compared to 2020, mostly off of the Arena app and on direct-sale, limited time "Secret Lair" products that contained 4-5 cards priced at $30-$40 each. Between it and D&D, Wizards of the Coast had their best year ever and made their parent company Hasbro around $1 billion... but that's nothing compared to a franchise that airs a television show aimed at kids every day.

The Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon animes are massive advantages that Magic just doesn't currently have (and might never have). So many kids (and even adults) collect Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon cards not because they're interested in playing the game itself, but because they recognize the characters from the shows, or like the artwork, or just have nostalgia from childhood. There isn't a comparable demographic of Magic collectors, because its been a very long time since the Magic fiction was anywhere strong enough (at least marketing and branding wise) to be enjoyed independently of the game.

Magic can sell all the direct-order $40 limited time boxes all they want to heavily enfranchised, life-long players, but it's not going to compare to the money Yu-Gi-Oh makes on kids who see Blue Eyes White Dragon on a package at Walmart and recognize it from TV.

Then again, maybe the don't actually need to compete. There's certainly enough money floating around the collectable card game industry these days to support at least Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic, and Pokemon without any of the three needing to feel threatened by each other's existence.
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livin_large



Joined: 10 Nov 2021
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 2:22 am Reply with quote
^
I don't think Yu-Gi-Oh's anime has aired on American television for quite a few years now so I'm not sure how many kids are getting into it from the anime. Maybe I'm mistaken though And ironically it's the nostalgic boomers are the ones that seem to not like Master Duel and criticize modern YGO for being too complex. I guess that doesn't stop them from collecting the cards, though
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SpiritSmoocher



Joined: 06 Mar 2021
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:23 am Reply with quote
YGO is simply way too robust of a card game franchise as this point. In no other game will they release support for cards that are like 10 years ago. Most other games suffer from mass set rotations or the common cards not fulfilling a larger purpose for some archetype, and is rather used as draft. Combined with its anime that is longer than one piece, there is just a lot of nostalgia and fandom to draw from. Interesting 4kdis which got bought by Konami, also managed Chaotic that had a lot of the card game aspects like Yugioh, and managed to successfully integrate it online like 10 years ago. If only they didn't get greedy and try to sue the other party for control of the game.
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Lord Geo



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:46 am Reply with quote
BodaciousSpacePirate wrote:
The Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon animes are massive advantages that Magic just doesn't currently have (and might never have). So many kids (and even adults) collect Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon cards not because they're interested in playing the game itself, but because they recognize the characters from the shows, or like the artwork, or just have nostalgia from childhood. There isn't a comparable demographic of Magic collectors, because its been a very long time since the Magic fiction was anywhere strong enough (at least marketing and branding wise) to be enjoyed independently of the game.


It's not for a lack of trying, at least. In Japan there have been a handful of various Magic the Gathering manga, though most seem to be one-shots & the like. From what I can tell, there are only two actual serialized Magic manga: Flames That Never Burn, a two-volume fantasy story from 2010, & Destroy All Humanity. They Can't Be Regenerated, a real-world story which is still running to this day & is currently at 10 volumes.

Why Wizards of the Coast hasn't tried pushing for an English release of either is beyond me, though.
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livin_large



Joined: 10 Nov 2021
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 11:59 am Reply with quote
Lord Geo wrote:
Why Wizards of the Coast hasn't tried pushing for an English release of either is beyond me, though.


I assume because they're made to help promote MTG in Japan where it's not that popular. No real need to do that in it's home country. I also think if some of the content in Destroy All Humanity would be a bit controversial in the west and they'd rather not shine to big of a light on it for the American fans given how WOTC has changed over the past 10 years.
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DisneyLM



Joined: 22 Mar 2014
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 1:05 pm Reply with quote
I wished this game was playable offline, I don't have Internet at home, but would have had no problem buying gems, and that other stuff for this game (if only it was playable offline). I guess I'll direct my attention towards another game that doesn't require buying gems, that can be played offline.
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BadNewsBlues



Joined: 21 Sep 2014
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:07 am Reply with quote
AmpersandsUnited wrote:
We already knew YGO overtook MTG in sales a long time ago.


No “we” didn’t.
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FunkyDude88



Joined: 01 Oct 2021
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:00 pm Reply with quote
BadNewsBlues wrote:
No “we” didn’t.


YGO at least has the Guinness World Records for both number of cards sold and hosting the largest TCG tournament.
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SpiritSmoocher



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PostPosted: Wed Mar 16, 2022 5:36 pm Reply with quote
BadNewsBlues wrote:

No “we” didn’t.


Yugioh definitely did once you start considering regions in Asia. MTG pretty much doesn't stand a chance there. As bad as we give 4kids and Konami, they did a much better job at marketing Yugioh to younger people than MTG ever did.
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Mirko The Bunny Gamer



Joined: 17 Mar 2022
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 12:40 pm Reply with quote
SpiritSmoocher wrote:
BadNewsBlues wrote:

No “we” didn’t.


Yugioh definitely did once you start considering regions in Asia. MTG pretty much doesn't stand a chance there. As bad as we give 4kids and Konami, they did a much better job at marketing Yugioh to younger people than MTG ever did.


i don't think wizards of the coast ever really thought about marketing MTG to kids and teenagers

they seem content with it being a card game played by an older audience
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SpiritSmoocher



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PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 4:59 pm Reply with quote
Mirko The Bunny Gamer wrote:


i don't think wizards of the coast ever really thought about marketing MTG to kids and teenagers

they seem content with it being a card game played by an older audience


Ironically they turned on the older audience by disbanding the MPL, cutting prize support, and killing the unrealistic ideals people had that they can make a living off MTG. If they ever choose to shred the reserved list, players will probably riot for thousands of dollars in lost value.
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vampiyan



Joined: 25 Oct 2021
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 6:33 pm Reply with quote
Mirko The Bunny Gamer wrote:
i don't think wizards of the coast ever really thought about marketing MTG to kids and teenagers

they seem content with it being a card game played by an older audience


The packs have "Ages 13+" on them so they seem fine with being aimed at kids. We played Magic in school back in the 90s during lunch. It's just once things like Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh came out there were suddenly alternatives and options.

SpiritSmoocher wrote:
Ironically they turned on the older audience by disbanding the MPL, cutting prize support, and killing the unrealistic ideals people had that they can make a living off MTG. If they ever choose to shred the reserved list, players will probably riot for thousands of dollars in lost value.


Wouldn't that probably be more likely from Magic just not being as dominate these days in the face of competitors? You can't really offer as much prize money if you're not making as much revenue as before.

I kind of fell off of Magic went they introduced Planeswalkers, and then Mythic Rare just kind of hammered the final nail in the coffin. And that's not even getting into the weird political binge and censorship they've been doing the past number of years with the game and community. I generally play Yu-Gi-Oh now since it has more of what I want out of a game, and doesn't seem to hate its fanbase as much as WOTC does. And Traptrix Wink
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SpiritSmoocher



Joined: 06 Mar 2021
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 9:24 pm Reply with quote
vampiyan wrote:


Wouldn't that probably be more likely from Magic just not being as dominate these days in the face of competitors? You can't really offer as much prize money if you're not making as much revenue as before.

I kind of fell off of Magic went they introduced Planeswalkers, and then Mythic Rare just kind of hammered the final nail in the coffin. And that's not even getting into the weird political binge and censorship they've been doing the past number of years with the game and community. I generally play Yu-Gi-Oh now since it has more of what I want out of a game, and doesn't seem to hate its fanbase as much as WOTC does. And Traptrix Wink


MTG hasn't really lost money. In fact, MTG along with most other TCGs have gained money. But I do agree they have lost market share to its competitors. But I have been around TCG communities long enough to know that MTG perhaps the highest level of elitism largely due to fact that WOTC aren't able to reprint certain staple cards thereby restricting certain formats to players who could spend thousands on decks. And a lot of favoritism placed on MTG was certain players just winning again and again raking in prize money.

It is only now that they are rediverting funds to making anime collabs and more anime trailers. But I don't think this is going to tip the Market share really. Largely because a lot of other games like Weiss Schwarz already do the same thing and have extremely strong ips that sort of crushed an ip farm tcg competitors. Yugioh at this point has like 1000 episodes of the anime and huge nostalgia from legacy archetypes, which expands 25+ years. With the release of Master Duel, the game has gotten so big that other TCG communities and gacha communities are into Yugioh now.
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