Chaotic Cards – The Future of TCG’s?

I want to push some buttons in your brain a second. No not literally. I don’t want to reach in and start seeing how squidgy and mushy your brain is (my guess is very) but I want to see how you think about Chaotic cards and how they may effect the future of TCG’s.

I ask because I’ve been thinking about Chaotic cards a lot recently, not just in a ‘I’ve started playing and obsessed with my new craze’ kind of way, but ever since I have been giving away free Chaotic codes on the forum I’ve been wondering about them as a medium.

The Chaotic TCG

Now obviously the Chaotic TCG is nowhere near the size of some of the TCG’s. Whilst it’s relatively big (think I remember reading it is the 4th biggest selling TCG in USA supermarkets and 2nd biggest in Canada, could be wrong though) it is neither turning much of a profit nor does it measure up to the sheer volume of players that Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, Yo Gi Oh and others have.

It’s growing, but it’s reach is nowhere near that of the more established Trading Cards Games.

So where does that leave them? Can they compete in the future or will they forever be relegated to the role of little brother behind the ‘big boys’ of the CCG world.

The Future of TCG’s

The question really becomes a matter of how the trading card games are going to develop. Already with other games we have seen them, or their fans, move decks online, develop the ability to use their cards in online battles.

But none of them have approached the Chaotic online game for versatility or its interaction with the traditional game. They don’t give anything like the ‘Chaotic code’ that allows the physical cards to be used in the interactive, online world.

And that gives Chaotic and edge, for the moment, over rivals CCG’s such as Pokemon. It means that players can trade, play and plan all over the world. Debates on TCG forums can be easily solved – by battling it out!

It also removes the problems of using fan driven websites and online battle strategy games. By Chaotic online being the OFFICIAL game you can play as Maxxor, Chaor, Klasp or Lore whenever you want, safe in the knowledge that they are quality.

And that’s what matters, the quality of the online game. Fan sites are all well and good, this is one for example, they have a place in marketing, in fandom and in interacting with users. But they are still fan based and the quality can vary.

By having an official site for the game to be played online then Chaotic allow themselves to control the quality of the online experience. Yes they gives themselves other headaches but they control everything about their offering.

Almost all services are moving online. Newspapers are struggling to compete with online media, shops are doing more sales online than they are in their bricks and mortar establishments, letters have become emails, magazines have become newsletters (by the way have you signed up to ours yet?). Should TCG’s be any different?

Games are always progressing, lines are being blurred between consoles and computers. One of our regulars on the forum is currently accessing it via his Nintendo Wii, another via his mobile phone. Chaotic the computer game is coming out… things progress.

Marvel changed things up with the introduction of their own TCG that was based entirely on a computer console, no ‘real’ cards involved. Chaotic have bridged the gap between that and traditional card games by providing both – based off of the same cards.

THIS is what I see the future of TCG’s doing. Many will love the cards, not every game will go completely online (many have). The artwork, the feel, the style of cards in trading card games is something to be treasured – and the cost of starting up ensures that only those interested in quality are likely to bother. But it is not enough to suit a demanding market any more.

The players of TCG’s are traditionally far more technology savvy than the average man (or woman) on the street. They spend time on the internet, they (and myself) enjoy interacting there – talking to people on forums (I even met my girlfriend on a forum, though it wasn’t a Chaotic one). So it is, in my opinion, inevitable that the cards progress from hard copy to digital – whilst still containing the elements that makes the industry so successful. The collectiblity, the options, the story, the art work.

That, for me, is why Chaotic cards are the future of TCG’s. But that’s enough of my meanderings. What do you think?

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Extenuating circumstances

It seem’s 4Kids has been quick to blame a number of exceptional circumstances for this loss.  Firstly it points out that over half the loss ($7.25 million) was due to a loss made in the sale of an Auction rate security – something that would usually have been a safe bet if it wasn’t for the volatile financial market.

Chaotic Sales

Blame has also been placed on Chaotic.  A change in how they charge retailers and distributers for the products of our favorite TCG means that they have not recieved income that they would usually have done.  Because they have moved the price model to a ‘pay on scan’ system they are yet to see monies returned for the $2.6 million worth of Chaotic products they have shipped in that time period.

The good news is that 4Kids CEO, Al Khan, said that sales of products of the Chaotic TCG had almost doubled since the Cartoon Network started syndicating episodes.

From what I can see they are disturbing figures but the Auction rate security sale will be a one off and losses are happening all over the industry so we shouldn’t be too worried.  What will be interesting is seeing how the sales of the TCG are going once profits from the new sales model start coming in, and seeing if the effect of the Cartoon Network will continue or level/drop off.

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But give me a break, I’m new to all this, both the game and trading card games in general. That’s right, I’m completely new to TCG’s. The closest I’ve come is playing Pokemon on the Nintendo GBA and then DS (and now the Wii). So I’m pretty much your definition of a newbie!

I came across the Chaotic brand watching Jetix and have to say I was impressed. The animation is, well, cooky – but after a bit of watching I decided I liked it. More than that though I liked the concept. I like how it worked.

Chaotic Online

So I got onto Google and had a look around, and and was surprised to see that the game was playable online. So on I hopped, registered and got going.

Or didn’t.

I simply couldn’t work out how to do it. I got my apprentice deck (Underworlders) but I had no idea how to actually work the site. So I went over and logged into the forums looking to try get some advice. I browsed through the stickies and learnt, pretty much nothing. I learnt how to use a Chaotic Pad – which wasn’t the play function on the website.

After awhile I gave up. I didn’t get it.

5 days later I came back. I had again seen the show on Jetix and wasn’t about to let a kids show beat me! So I spent a long time working through the forums. Eventually I worked out how to download the pad and got doing some gaming. Of course having no idea what I am doing, and only having an apprentice deck, I only managed a few wins.

Eventually I decided I was going to do the website again, I would beat it. I spent ages clicking around and, almost by accident, worked out how to auto-challenge. Result, at last I could play properly!

The screen itself proved to be yet another challenge. I could not work out, for a long time, how to see the cards – all I could see was the board at an angle that showed the cards from a distance – just enough to guess who the characters were, but nothing else. I think it was by accident that I discovered that right clicking on the cards brought up the information I needed!

Quality

But despite all these problems, or maybe because of it as I am a stubborn oaf, I got hooked on the game. I was still loosing far, far more than I was winning with my apprentice deck – but I was loving it.

Weirdly though my account had gained some cards. I’m not sure how it happened but overnight I gained a creature or two and a couple of rare wargears, attacks and locations – all underworld.

So a couple of days ago I nipped out to Toys ‘R’ Us and bought some cards. In what has to be the least organized move ever I bought an Overworld starter deck (I like their sprites in the main) and a Dannian tin (the only ones available in the store) – which gives me quite an unfocussed collection!

Using the new cards I’ve had for a couple for days I’m winning as much as I am losing, which is hardly an achievement. But I am loving this game – and shall continue to try improve my deck and learn some tactics, oh and perhaps work out a bunch of stuff such as how the hell to work Mugic!

Will I ever get a physical game? No idea, but for now I’m enjoying working out what the hell I’m doing online!

Thanks for reading this long-winded rubbish – please do check out the forums… they are just starting up, ready and waiting for you to come in and have your say on anything Chaotic – or use the off-topic forums to talk about anything that you want!

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