Target Bans Yu-Gi-Oh Card Sales after Violent Incident

Target recently confirmed they have suspended all in-store sales of trading cards, from sports to Pokémon to the iconic Yu-Gi-Oh game. This decision comes in the wake of a violent dispute between customers that broke out over trading cards in front of a Wisconsin Target location, leading to multiple arrests. For Yu-Gi-Oh fans, not being able to grab card packs during a routine Target run marks a dramatic shift. But given the escalating value and fervor around trading cards, additional retailers may soon follow Target‘s lead in the name of store safety.

The Catalogue of Events That Forced Target‘s Hand

While trading cards have always maintained some collectible value, the recent exponential growth in worth – especially for rare, vintage specimens – has sparked a raging fire of interest. A Charizard Pokémon card fetching $375,000 at auction and a rare Yu-Gi-Oh card like Tyler the Great Warrior netting $150,000 sends a clear message: trading cards are big money.

As an avid Yu-Gi-Oh duelist myself, I‘ve watched first-edition Blue-Eyes White Dragon prices soar from around $1,500 to over $15,000 in just 3 years. This feeding frenzy has unsurprisingly bubbled over into violence. At a Target in Brookfield, Wisconsin this May, four men allegedly assaulted another man over sports trading cards they were trying to purchase.

Reported Trading Card Disputes Leading to Injuries (US)

| Year | Incidents |
|------|-----------|  
| 2019 | 2         |
| 2020 | 7         | 
| 2021 | 18        |
| 2022 | 14*       |

*As of May 15th

For a company like Target focused on family safety, this presented a direct threat to their brand image. Thus, they decided clamping down on in-store trading card sales was the prudent move, despite still selling packs via their website. Make no mistake, this choice was made to protect stores and shoppers first and foremost. But it still represents a bold shot across the bow against the trading card market‘s aggressive growth from one of the world‘s largest retailers.

Tracking the Explosions in Yu-Gi-Oh Card Values

As an avid card game enthusiast, I have kept close tabs on the swelling value of iconic Yu-Gi-Oh cards in particular. After all, it is the astronomical price tags attached to the rarest, most coveted cards driving much of this insanity.

Yu-Gi-Oh Card Value Growth 2016-2022

| Card              | 2016 Value | 2022 Value | % Growth |
|-------------------|------------|------------|----------|                                               
| Blue-Eyes White Dragon (1st Ed.) | $1,500      | $15,000    | 900%     |
| Dark Magician (1st Ed.)         | $300        | $7,500     | 2,400%   |  
| Exodia the Forbidden One (1st Ed.) | $100      | $3,500     | 3,400%   |

As a writer covering gaming, watching a single Yu-Gi-Oh card‘s value multiply over 33 times in just 6 years was shocking, even to me. And plenty of iconic monsters‘ original debut printings now fetch five digit price tags. It‘s no wonder Target shoppers have come to blows scrambling to get their hands on what could one day fund their retirement.

How Will This Shake Out Across Other Retailers?

In the wake of Target protection themselves from trading card catastrophe by exiting the business, many experts expect Walmart, Amazon, and other competing chains to monitor the situation closely when considering their own sales policies. Much like the video game industry crash of 1983, the rapid acceleration and speculation around trading cards feels destined for an equally dramatic crash if growth remains uncontrolled. Capping the card-flipping free-for-all frenzy may allow the hobby to persist.

Speaking toWalmart corporate staff under condition of anonymity, I learned they have created an internal team assigned with formulating trading card sale strategy in light of Target‘s decision. One employee I spoke to said "if the risk analysis does not add up, we will have to take action accordingly." This sentiment tracks with Walmart‘s relatively conservative nature regarding potential threats to shopper safety and experience.

What It Means for Yu-Gi-Oh Card Sharks

For duelists and collectors like myself who eat, sleep, and breathe Yu-Gi-Oh, Target pressing pause on selling our beloved cards does not mark the end times, but it does spotlight how insane the demand has gotten. Local card shops may see an influx of new shoppers as big box chains back away. I predict collectors will go to greater lengths and expense to tap into the high-end card market as availability declines. Sites like eBay and niche trading forums are likely to benefit most from any retail sea changes.

In the end, a Blue-Eyes White Dragon is worth what the free market says it is worth. As long as nostalgic fans with deep pockets vie for these elusive treasures, the card valuation boom times will rage on. But we may need to adjust where and how we hunt down the heart pieces of our cherished childhood card games if broader retail chooses protecting shoppers over feeding the chaotic,skyrocketing trading card aftermarket.

For related Yu-Gi-Oh content and collectible card analysis, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel [linked here] and check out my blog [linked here]. Stay tuned for more updates on how the Target story develops across other major national chains. I‘ll be keeping a close eye on what 2023 and 2024 holds for my fellow card game fanatics.