MetaZoo is Back From The Dead (Or... Finally Dead Forever?)

I have a soft spot for MetaZoo.

Not because I think it's a great game, or even a great collectible. It's because, after MetaZoo announced they were bankrupt, I made a YouTube video about it that did exceptionally well.

So, my MetaZoo collection is worthless, but at least my video about it got some attention! Fair trade I suppose.

That bankruptcy was not the end of the MetaZoo story: since then, the MetaZoo IP was purchased, the game relaunched, and 3 new sets have been produced. The companies behind the IP acquisition, GameQbator Labs and MetaTwo, are led by some industry powerhouses including Rick Aron, the former Executive Vice President of The Pokémon Company, and Richard Garfield, the creator of Magic: The Gathering and the Trading Card Game concept.

Despite this sterling leadership, few collectors seem to care about MetaZoo as demonstrated by the Google Trends data showing declining interest over time.

By all accounts, the new MetaZoo has been a failure.

Despite this, GameQbator Labs has announced, somewhat triumphantly, that the next phase of the MetaZoo acquisition has begun. Meaning:

Alongside this operational change, MetaZoo’s CEO is stepping down, and being replaced by another Pokémon legend, Zach Browning, aka Gem Mint Pokémon.

So... does this mean MetaZoo has a bright future?

Consider this: Statistically, nearly all TCGs fail.

Here’s the harsh reality of collectibles: the best collectibles were never intended to be collectibles. They were culturally significant items, that were used and consumed. We're talking comic books, early sports cards, tin lunch boxes, and more.

Along the way, most of these items are destroyed, lost, or discarded, resulting in very few pristine examples remaining, even if they were a mass-produced item during their time.

Compare that to TCGs which, by their design, are purpose-built collectibles, marketed for their collectibility.

There's a reason most TCGs fail...

But, what TCGs can do is survive for so long, with nothing more than a small, niche audience, that they build a secondary market track record. Eventually, collectors may notice that record of success (as small as it may be) and the market might start growing again.

This is the story of Pokémon cards: despite a booming start in the late-90's, the years between 2003 and 2016 were dark years for Pokémon card fans. The hype had died, and The Pokémon Company barely kept the hobby alive, supported by a small number of super fans. It really took until 2020 before Pokémon cards were part of mainstream culture again.

Today, many cards from Pokémon's dead era are some of the most sought-after cards in the hobby. The late WOTC sets, Exhibition and Skyridge, are famous for their rarity, and the Gold Star cards are incredibly rare relative to the chase cards of the more modern era.

Pokémon succeeded because the game survived this dead era.

MetaZoo is just beginning its dead era.

And, if MetaZoo is ever going to thrive again, it will need to persist for many years, in obscurity, supported by just enough fans to justify continuing to operate the business.

But even if it does, this doesn't guarantee more collectors will care about the game in the future. It just gives is a chance to thrive again a decade or more in the future.

Good luck 🤝

As usual,

Thanks so much for reading the TCG Buyers Club newsletter. My name's Grey, I buy cardboard, and I'm on a mission to make collecting and investing in Pokémon.

Cheers 🍻

P.S. Do any MetaZoo collectors subscribe to my newsletter? What do you think about the news? Reply and let me know.