Is Journey Together all hype? Our perspective.
The Happy Tiger Gaming team had one goal: try to agree on something. It didn’t work out.
Is Journey Together all hype?
Buyout Bandit:
Full blown scam, but it’s one of the good scams. Pokémon knows exactly what they’re doing. They slap a ‘Trainer & Pokémon’ theme on it, give you a box topper, and everyone loses their minds. Booster box preorders are $193. ETBs are double MSRP. People are acting like this is a steal. Manufactured hype at its finest. But you know what? It works. And that’s why I love it.
Miss Print:
Journey Together is actually one of the most exciting sets we’ve had recently. The Pokémon/Partner theme is iconic. N’s Reshiram illustration rare as a promo? More value to players. This is a celebration of what makes Pokémon matter to people. If you only think about flippers you’re missing the point. Think about the story Pokémon is telling with this set.
How do we feel about PokemonCenter’s queue system for Journey Together?
Buyout Bandit:
For once, they didn’t completely screw everyone over. Some people got shafted, but at least it wasn’t just bots and scalpers hoarding everything. It worked better than the disaster of Prismatic Evolutions. It wasn’t fair, but it wasn’t an auto-loss either.
Miss Print:
Think it was fair? That’s cute. Pokémon let you think it was fair. This wasn’t a victory. This was a calculated move to see how much they can drip-feed product while keeping demand high. Some people got their orders in this time. But what about next set? They aren’t really fixing problems, are they? Just controlling them. We’re just happy they threw us a bone.
Will scalpers and bots ruin this release?
Buyout Bandit:
Scalpers aren’t ‘ruining’ anything. They’re playing the same game as everyone else. Just better. If you’re mad, it’s because you’re losing the game. The real problem is the distributors. These guys are marking up boxes before they even hit stores, which forces local game shops to charge more. Guess what? That makes scalping profitable. With all of the Facebook complaints and Reddit posts, the answer is simple. Fix the root problem, and scalpers disappear. Period. But guess what? Pokémon won’t do that."
Miss Print:
Scalpers are 100% a problem. It’s not about ‘playing the game better.’ It’s about cutting real fans out entirely. The second a new set drops, Walmart shelves are empty. Target too. Best Buy, GameStop, even Barns and Nobles. All gone. Because scalpers scoop it all at MSRP and flip it cheaper than stores can afford to. You can’t ‘compete’ with that. You lose before you even start.
What are your favorite cards in this set? Are they worth the hype?
Buyout Bandit:
N’s Zoroark ex is straight up cracked. Zoroark is an actual fan favorite, not some random fluff pick. This thing is gonna be played and collectors will eat it up. Anyone who hates on this card is coping that they didn’t pull it. When’s the last time a Salamence card actually mattered?
Miss Print:
The best card in the set is Salamence EX, the alt art rare #129/100. Not to mention Iono’s Bellibolt EX. But have you seen the Furret? Pure charm. I don’t simp for Zoroark like everyone else. Some of us actually appreciate good card design.
Is Journey Together a sign that Pokémon is listening to the community?
Buyout Bandit:
Pokémon doesn’t listen. They adapt. This isn’t them caring, this is them fixing just enough to keep people from quitting. It’s business. Simple as that. They saw people rage about Prismatic Evolutions and slightly adjusted the drop mechanics. They’re always gonna manipulate demand. But like I said, at least they’re not completely screwing players over this time. It’s still a scam, but it’s a smart scam.
Miss Print:
This is them listening. Not everything is a conspiracy. Fans asked for better distribution and boom, there it is. Not everything is corporate greed. This set tells us a story about connection. This is about the Pokémon/trainer bond. This is literally at the heart of the franchise. If you refuse to see that, that’s on you."