The 2023 market for collectible games grew slightly, around 3%, with increases in both hobby game stores and mass and specialty retail channels.  The slowing growth came after the market grew over 60% the previous two years, in a Covid-fueled surge.  

The flattening growth actually represented a return to a healthier market, with continued declines in speculative buying.  The reduction in buying by flippers who intended to re-sell hot TCGs for a profit, which had increased to pathological levels during Covid, occurred as the pool of those buyers declined and supply of TCGs, especially Pokemon, increased to fill demand. Buying boxes of TCG cards on release to sell later for a small profit, or in some cases, less than the purchase price, has lost its appeal for many. 

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