Proposal of an Analysis Method for Inflation in Trading Card Games

Abstract

To maintain the revenue of trading card games, a gradual increase in the strength of new cards is often implemented, which leads to inflation. Managing the frequency and intensity of this inflation is crucial, as excessive increases can cause a decrease in card value and the overuse of specific cards, resulting in an undesirable game balance. This study analyzes card information from "Pokémon Trading Card Game," "Duel Masters," "Shadowverse," and "Dragon Quest Rivals" to compare inflation trends. Both "Pokémon TCG" and "Duel Masters" saw continued stat boosts, while "Shadowverse" experienced less numerical inflation, instead inflating through cards with multiple effects. On the other hand, "Dragon Quest Rivals" showed little to no inflation, instead displaying a trend of stagnation. This suggests that it might have contributed to the game's early closure within a short period.