From: fcwagaman@kalaswire.com
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 3:39 PM
To: cardtips@pojo.com
Subject: Rant Response

I'm not sure what happened to Ness that had him awaken the sleeping dragon
that is the 15+ topic, but as we remember, this isn't the first time that
this issue has caused some problems.

As many of you, I think WOTC would have liked Pokemon to be a gateway to
their Magic game. A game that you played when you were younger until you
were ready for Magic. Many players did do that. But many others did not.

WOTC does not own the Pokemon franchise. They do not own the rights to the
card game. They do have the rights to print, sell and support the game in
territories outside of Japan. But they are not at the top of Pokemon:TCG's
food chain. When it comes to Magic, they own it. Lock, stock and barrel.
When it come to Harry Potter, they own the card game and pay a licensing fee
for the characters, just like any other licensee. Their costs are higher and
their control less for Pokemon than for the other 2 games.  

Being a looong-time member of the 15 and over club, I can appreciate the
feelings of abandonment that many of the trainers that are nearing the
"magic" age of 15.

But let's not pretend that this is a new issue. And let's not pretend that
this is something that is being pushed on WOTC from Japan. It's not.

WOTC may have dropped the prizes of free trips for the older players when
the sales of Pokemon leveled off. That is understandable. As a business
decision. 

But WOTC *attitude* towards the older players has been an issue with me for
a while.

Several times during the weekly Pokemon chats over the last year, reps from
WOTC have let slip (when their frustrations seem to get a little high) that
Pokemon is a "kids" game in their view. Especially when it comes to some of
the rulings. They'd say things that implied if you wanted to play games that
had logic and made sense, start playing Magic. Or condescendingly say, "You
know Pokemon is a kids game, don't you ?". Telling trainers to basically
stop taking it seriously. You want to play a serious game, don't play
Pokemon.

(When I posted in another forum about that attitude, I received some rather
curt responses from the people at WOTC. Saying that they never said those
things and if they did I must not have heard them right.)

I was a gym leader last year. We had 70-110 trainers each week. Many of
those trainers (~35%) were over 15. Some of these were parents that wanted
something to do with their kids. Some were high schoolers that (gasp) liked
the game. Some were just people that got sick of all of the "Type II" and
"What's banned this week ?" and cut throat-play of Magic. 

Most of them will not care that WOTC considers Pokemon a "kids" game.

What is really bugging some of you is that WOTC is going to kill the
sanctioning of the 15 and over age bracket. All your time and energy (and
yes, money) that you invested getting to the top of something will be for
naught. Whereas you were somebody in the Pokemon realm before you were 15,
you will soon be forgotten once you cross that threshold. Isn't that what is
bothering you ?

No one says you have to stop playing the game once you turn 15. Playing
competitively will be gone. Sanctioning, rankings and the like won't be
around. "Serious" tournaments like the STS won't have a slot for you
anymore.

The only way it will have an impact in my area is if WOTC announces that the
Pokemon League will only be for 14 and under. Wouldn't that be something ?

Many of you implied that WOTC *wants* Pokemon to die. They've made their
money on it, now please buy our next fad game or move into our steady
long-term product. 

You may be right. With limited resources, businesses must decide where
they'll spend them. I can see WOTC continuing to sap the life from what was
once (and once could have been) a long term game. Just between us, I think
we'll see our last English cards from WOTC in 2002.
I'll be surprised to see any sets beyond the next one (Neo 4) come to
America from WOTC.

Maybe someone else will pick up the game.

FRED