The Pokémon economy: The real cost of catching 'em all

Pokémon started as something simple: trading cards on the playground, Game Boys passed around between friends and the dream of catching 'em all. Thirty years later, it's the highest-grossing media franchise in the world — and Pokémon cards have become big business.In this episode, collectors, card shop owners, Pokémon Go players and lifelong fans reflect on what Pokémon means to them and how the culture around it has changed. From crowded Pokémon Go meetups at parks to local card shops struggling with scalpers and rising prices, this episode looks at how scarcity and speculation transformed Pokémon cards into valuable commodities. Along the way is a bigger question: Can a franchise built on adventure, friendship and connection hold onto those values in a billion-dollar marketplace?Guests:Steven Chung, lifelong Pokémon fanCourtney Mifsud Intreglia, writerOliver Soufi, Pokémon MasterJake Federicks, manager at Supreme Card ShopJason Huggins, co-owner of  Tito Rick's GarageSources:LIFE Pokémon: 30 Years (Courtney Mifsud Intreglia, LIFE, 2026)How Pokémon Conquered America (Courtney Mifsud Intreglia, TIME, 2024)How Pokémon became the biggest media franchise on Earth (Lucy Tobin, The Times, 2026)'Kids can't buy them anywhere': how Pokémon cards became a stock market for millennials (Daniella Lucas, The Guardian, 2025)