Let’s start with the elephant in the room: Pokémon. Yes, the franchise was born as a game for children to enjoy, and kids remain a vital part of its DNA. But to claim that excludes adults is fundamentally flawed. In fact, millennials are undeniably a primary target audience. Just look at the explosive success of the Scarlet & Violet: 151 set. That product didn't fly off shelves because eight-year-olds suddenly cared about Kadabra's return; it thrived because the generation that grew up with the original 151 Pokémon now has disposable income and a fierce nostalgic connection. Pokémon wants its long-time adult fans engaged, and their product lineup proves it.
Consider the actual price points of modern TCG products. Critics love to claim grown men shouldn't put "real money" into these games, yet who exactly do they think is funding this industry? I certainly wouldn't let my kids buy Elite Trainer Boxes month after month for $60 a pop. When we were growing up, getting one booster pack a month was a massive treat. Today, The Pokémon Company does not expect children to pay $120+ for an Ultra Premium Collection box. They know exactly who they are targeting. While there are valid frustrations in the hobby—like the sheer negativity of ruthless retail scalping—to state that TCGs are exclusively for kids is ridiculous.
If you need an even stronger argument, look no further than the meteoric rise of the One Piece Card Game . Bandai isn't tailoring this juggernaut for young children. Many of their top chase cards—featuring characters like Nami or Boa Hancock with, let's be honest, a gratuitous amount of cleavage—are clearly not designed for eight-year-old Timmy’s playground deck. The art styles, the complex meta, and the ultra-rare Manga alternate arts are crafted explicitly for the adult collector. They are intentionally creating high-end chase hits to capture the investor demographic.
The reality of the secondary market paints an undeniable picture: adult capital is the lifeblood of the TCG ecosystem. If the critics got their way and only children participated, giants like Pokémon and One Piece TCGs would be financially caput overnight. There simply isn't enough allowance money from twelve-year-olds to sustain the massive print runs, organized play circuits, and secondary market liquidity we see today. Without adult collectors and investors, the entire hobby collapses.
Furthermore, the "just for kids" argument is a tired trope used against countless lucrative entertainment mediums. You could easily make the same baseless claim about video games, yet gaming is a multi-billion-dollar industry dominated by adult consumers. The same goes for superhero movies or anime—which, frankly, boasts better writing and animation than most top-rated prime-time television shows today. Dismissing a medium because of its younger origins is a massive blind spot that savvy investors know how to exploit.
Most of the people parroting these criticisms are either salty about current market prices locking them out, or they simply don't understand the hobby at a baseline level. I recently watched an interview where a financial commentator scoffed at TCGs, smugly advising viewers to just "invest in the S&P 500." While traditional investing has its place, this lacks the perspective of millennials actively building wealth in this space. For one, over the last decade, my TCG portfolio has surpassed my traditional stock investments exponentially. Secondly, for a young investor watching the stock market hit precarious all-time highs week after week, parking money for a 7% yearly return doesn't feel nearly as appealing—or as safe—as buying a highly-demanded booster box that has a historically proven track record of doubling or tripling in value over a few years.
Finally, there is something deeply powerful to be said about investing in what you actually love. There is a genuine, tangible enjoyment in collecting, trading, and building a portfolio around a hobby you are passionate about. Yes, TCGs carry risk, just like any other asset class. But there is a legitimate, thriving ecosystem for collectibles. When traditional financial talking heads look down on it, it merely proves they haven't done their homework. For the rest of us, we'll keep building wealth with the "cardboard for kids."