The collectible card market has experienced a historical moment that has left even the leaders of Hasbro. The Final Fantasy expansion for Magic: The Gathering (here our dedicated study) has in fact generated 200 million dollars of revenues in just 24 hours, a result that completely redefines the commercial success parameters in the sector.
To put this astronomical figure in perspective, just think that the previous expansion dedicated to the Lord of the Rings had taken six whole months to reach the same economic milestone.
Christian Cocks, CEO of Hasbro, revealed during the conference on the quarterly results of the company that the question for the Cloud, Sephiroth cards and the other iconic Square Eniix characters literally overwhelmed all forecasts.
“We have increased four times compared to the initial plans, yet we were unable to completely satisfy the market”
Cocks explained to financial analysts. The production of Final Fantasy has exceeded dozens of percentage points any other productive cycle in the history of the company, but the hunger of the public proved to be even more voracious.
This situation has created a paradox that many Italian magic fans have experienced on their skin. Despite the unprecedented production efforts, finding Commander of the Final Fantasy expansion has become a titanic enterprise.
The pre -orders have fallen quickly and many shops had to apply significant top -ups compared to the recommended prices, feeding speculations on the distribution methods of Wizards of the Coast.
The economic impact of this scarcity is dramatically reflected on the prices of the individual cards.
Live Ornitier, categorized as a legendary mythical creature from Final Fantasy IX, oscillates between 50 and 70 euros for weeks, while other coveted cards such as, for example, the art of Chocobo variants, keep star prices.
Unlike the traditional expansions of Magic, where interest is mainly playful, here the passion of fans for the original characters is added, creating a perfect storm for speculative retailers.
The phenomenon has taken on such proportions that even the collector boosters, containing the rarest and most expensive cards, are practically nowhere to be found. The initial edition of these special packages went completely exhausted, leaving the most demanding collectors hunting for residual stocks at prohibitive prices.
However, Hasbro has assured that the production of standard cards will continue, in the hope of calm down at least partially the most sought -after card market.
Hasbro’s management does not hide the optimism for the commercial future of this collaboration. Gina Goetter, financial director of the company, confirmed that the production will continue and that the expansion should enjoy an \
