I know often people are offering advice about NOT creating a CCG/TCG. Those acronyms stand for Collectible Card Game (CCG) or Trading Card Game (TCG). If you are still unfamiliar with the "genre", they are two (2) very popular types of "Card Games" each with their own dueling or battling combat system.
Examples of well known success are things like Pokemon TCG or Magic: the Gathering CCG. These two (2) card games account for a significant portion of the market.
So naturally people who PLAY these games and hear about the millions of Global players around the World ... Think that there could be room for more CCGs/TCGs and aim to TRY to create their own "versions" of what could be popular. But there is a problem with the exact "picture".
While "designing" a CCG/TCG may be hard... It's not the reason for WHY Game Designers should IGNORE this type of game. Let me start my explanation and once you read this, you can Agree or Disagree with my conclusions. But first let me present to you more "angles" and "facts" to increase your awareness into the "CCG/TCG" genres.
1. It's an all-or-nothing business
What I mean is that "all" the parts of the business need to be in place. You need to be able to MANUFACTURE "volumes" of card upwards of 100,000+ cards in order to reach out to the market.
Secondly, you need to remember that organized play is a very important aspect to the game (for high visibility). Without it ... The very competitive nature of the game would be lost.
2. The business model is "specific"
Selling booster packs of 10 or more cards is what it is all about. Yes and no. Yes, the cards are packaged in booster packs and are sold for individual purchase or purchase by the case. Store owners who actively participate in Magic shops ... Hate the "case" because they need to sell upwards of 60% of a case before they see any profit. When they sell a GAME, they get 50% retail markup and don't need to wait for players to purchase a pre-fixed quantity of booster packs.
3. Advertising and promotion
It requires a lot of promotion to get a game known in the industry. And with currently games like Pokemon, Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh! There isn't much room for ANOTHER game ... Unless it was HEAVILY "advertised".
Player who play and collect Magic ONLY play Magic. Same goes for Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! While it may be true that some players collect cards from several of these games... The fact is that it will be VERY hard to convert a Magic player to some "unknown" CCG/TCG.
And that's the main problem: being "unknown". While your CCG/TCG may be awe inspiring... Nobody outside of your town city (if you are a real hustler) will know what your game is all about.
4. First to market
Another reason your CCG/TCG might fail is because of how the existing market for a CCG/TCG is already occupied by another player who was FIRST to market. Basically all this means is that there is someone who ALREADY has the customers wrapped up in their IP (Intellectual Property).
Pokemon is for 9-12 year older and Magic is from 13+. I believe that the Yu-Gi-Oh! players are maybe 12 to 18 and overlap a bit too.
When I say ADVERTISING... It's doesn't need to be Ads. It can be like in the Pokemon case where there are TV Cartoons that follow the pursuits of a young Pokemon Trainer (same with Yu-Gi-Oh!)... And it's a show that kids love to watch ... So it takes HUGE revenue and sales to have a weekly broadcasted show ... Kids love to watch.
5. Magic Arena
This is yet another example about HOW not to compete with the BIG players (such as Wizards of The Coast). They have MMO (Massive Multiplier Online) games which are there to encourage players to spend their hard earned monies into virtual decks which allow them to subsequently play online.
This took a while ... But an older, extinct TCG called "Chaotic" did this before all the more experienced CCG/TCG players even had their platforms. But again they had PHYSICAL cards and ONLINE play which allowed both to be organized and have tournaments for money and prizes.
So this brings me to requiring HUGE investment in TECHNOLOGY and software.
6. Pokemon Go
There is always a better product or an adaptation of a derivative work that could introduce NEW players to the Pokemon world. Again FIRST to market and huge advertising... And some people question the popularity with 30 billion cards sold... It seems to have a strong base in the USA ... But people are wondering: is Pokemon TCG dying???
Which bring me to a bit of what I know (and so do you now) that CCGs/TCGs are not games that we can grow organically. We (most Designers) lack the funds required to promote the game. And it's tough with most of the niche players that are currently operating. There's even a OVERLAP as I explained.
The problem is that there is NO MARKET for your CCG/TCG. No matter how cool you may think it is... I have a CCG of my own that I know will NEVER see the market. Why? Because you have NEVER HEARD of "Quest Adventure Cards(tm)"... And most probably you never will. I don't have a million dollars to market the game to everyone interested in CCGs/TCGs. And that's probably the same situation for MOST Game Designers.
You think that "If I build it... Players will come!" WRONG! People are not necessarily looking for a NEW product especially when they are playing all kinds of EXISTING ones who claimed the market and came FIRST ahead of your own CCG/TCG ideas.
I offer this as FREE advice. A critical eye and point-of-view. I would love to do "Quest Adventure Cards(tm)", a Second Edition, but again without the HUGE finances required to make the game KNOWN and POPULAR... I don't see the game making any HUGE traction even IF it was VERY CLEVER.
But know this: I am like you! I'd love for my own CCG to become more popular and be played by people around the world. The TRUTH is that this was sort of a DREAM. Now that I understand ALL the variables, issues and requirements, I (and now YOU) have a clearer understanding WHY so MANY CCGs/TCGs FAIL "out-there" in the MARKET.
It was a SLOW night... So I figured I'd share some insights into CCGs/TCGs and why many people insist that they are the WRONG FORMAT if you want to be successful in the Board Game Design profession.
Cheers! BTW if you have questions/comments/feedback please feel free to share...
I would seriously STICK AWAY from "Magic: Arena". While watching videos from Tolarian College ... The Professor explains how WOTC are removing some cards from the rotation. What this means is that some of your decks with some of your favorite cards can be banned from play (removed from rotation).
And this is a well-known fact that "Magic: Arena" does this to incentive players to spend MORE money and buy newer decks... Because the BOOSTER packs come from newer editions, banning cards FORCES players to continually spend more money on packs and buying new cards.
Seeing as all assets are DIGITAL and part of your account, it is EASY for WOTC to "manage" the cards that are no longer in rotation...
So players be aware of what you are getting into by playing such a game! These MMOs are NOT FREE... They are PAY-TO-PLAY. No money means no competitiveness...