The Growth Of Trading Card Games

Stefan Roets, Product Manager – Collectable Trading Card Games at Solarpop, unpacks the growth of trading card games in South Africa and globally.

Trading cards have always been popular, but over the past few years, the hobby has grown into something bigger that incorporates fandom, competitive play and community. Globally, the category has moved far beyond nostalgia. Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: The Gathering remain giants of the space, with new releases, organised play, international tournaments and collector communities keeping fans of all ages engaged year-round.

Around them, a new wave of licensed entertainment brands is entering the card aisle, turning favourite characters, stories and screen worlds into another touchpoint for fans to engage with. We’ve recently seen the launch of My Little Pony collectable cards and KPop Demon Hunters collectable cards.

Magic: The Gathering has teamed up with Marvel, in a superhero-themed set that released in June 2026, bringing iconic comic book characters, villains and storylines into collectible card form. For fans, it brings a new dimension to card play.

Pokémon has grown significantly and marks its 30th anniversary in 2026 with the “What’s Your Favorite?” campaign, featuring celebrity collaboration with names such as Lady Gaga and Trevor Noah. The scale of the brand’s trading card success is staggering: more than 85 billion Pokémon cards have reportedly been produced worldwide, with around 10 billion printed in the latest financial year alone. At the top end of the collector market, rare cards have become cultural assets in their own right, with Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator card selling for a reported $16.5 million at auction. Pokémon has grown into a global collecting phenomenon.

South Africa is part of that shift. Local hobby stores, toy retailers, fan conventions and gaming events have become gathering points for collectors and players. Major events have also become a key part of the hobby’s growth, with tournaments, activations and learn-to-play at pop culture platforms such as Comic Con Cape Town and Comic Con Africa.

A growing audience

What makes the growth especially interesting is how broad the audience has become. Some fans are there for strategy and competitive play. Others are there for the artwork, the thrill of opening a booster, or the emotional pull of a character they already love. That is where newer launches such as My Little Pony collectible cards and KPop Demon Hunters collectible cards add fresh energy, inviting families and younger collectors into a space once seen as more niche. The audience mix is what makes the category so dynamic. Games with decades of brand power behind them are perfectly poised for cross-generational appeal among fans of all ages.

The result is a hobby that feels both familiar and consistently fresh. The cards are still small enough to fit in your hand, but the world around them has grown.

In South Africa and around the world, trading cards are having their moment. And for many fans, the best part is still the same: opening the next pack and the excitement of what’s inside.

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