TCGplayer unveiled their December sales data for sealed TCG products and its price changes. This new data wraps up 2021 as well as reiterates some of the continuing trends happening in the TCG market into the new year.
2021 was Pokemon TCG‘s year, as the game dethroned Magic: The Gathering from the top of the chart in January and basically, put the gas pedal to the floor and never looked back. The most recent chart features 15 Pokemon TCG sealed products (see “TCGplayer Top 25 Sealed TCG Products (With Price Shifts) – December 2021“), which means the brand claimed 60% of the slots on the top 25 for December. Pokemon TCG products grabbed six slots in the top ten, and the Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection got the #1 slot. The Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection boxes also increased in secondary market value by 20% over the course of December.
Magic: The Gathering, however, only claimed four slots on the top 25 with the highest Magic product on the chart being Double Masters, a product that was released in August 2020 (see “‘Magic: The Gathering’ ‘Double Masters’ Set“). The newest set, Innistrad: Crimson Vow Set Boosters, clocked in just outside the top 10 at #11, and these boxes ended the month 18% less in value than they started the month at. The Innistrad: Crimson Vow – Collector Booster Display fell into the #22 slot on the list, just below Commander Legend – Draft Booster Box, which is a product that is a little over a year old (see “‘Commander Legends’ Product Line“).
This entire year’s worth of TCGplayer sealed product data suggests Wizards of the Coast is experiencing a bit of performance duality where Magic: The Gathering products are concerned. On one hand, WotC and Digital Gaming segment Q3 sales were up 32% over sales in Q3 2020, according the Hasbro Q3 earnings report (see “‘Magic’ Sales Beat“). They essentially accomplished, Magic revenue-wise, in three quarters in 2021 what it took them four quarters to do in 2020. At the end of the day, Magic profits are massive and better than they’ve ever been.
However, on the other hand, month after month their printed Standard products have been losing market share on the sealed chart to Pokemon TCG, Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, and a cornucopia of newer games like Digimon CG, Flesh and Blood, and Metazoo. Additionally, their more recent Standard sealed boxes have been dropping in value, almost immediately in the aftermarket, down to numbers that are closer to wholesale cost than to their would-be retail price. This unusually high percent drop in aftermarket value has been occurring with Standard sealed product practically throughout all of 2021 (see “Standard Set Sales Slide” and also, “‘D&D’ ‘Magic’ Set’s Sealed Value Softens“). WotC more than likely knows that this trend is occurring, and if it continues, Magic will continue lose more and more market share as new games enter the market and battle for their place on the chart (see “‘Nostalgix TCG’ is Coming to Retail“). With a new WotC CEO expected to be announced in the coming weeks (see “Wizards of the Coast President to Run Hasbro“), 2022 should prove to be a pivotal year for Magic: The Gathering. Source: ICv2
