In recent years, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) has exploded back into mainstream popularity, captivating both nostalgic adults and a younger generation of fans. With its colorful characters, strategic gameplay, and collectibility, it may seem like harmless fun — but beneath the surface lies a deeper psychological hook. The current pack-opening craze isn’t just a trend; it’s tapping directly into the brain’s dopamine reward system, mirroring the same mechanics that fuel gambling addiction.
Dopamine, often dubbed the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, isn’t just released when we experience a reward — it’s released in anticipation of one, especially when that reward is unpredictable. This concept, based on neuroscientist Wolfram Schultz’s “reward prediction error” theory, explains why unpredictability amplifies excitement.
When we get more than we expect, dopamine spikes. When we get less, the brain craves another chance to try again.
This is exactly what happens when someone tears open a Pokémon booster pack. The uncertainty of what’s inside — the possibility of pulling a rare, valuable card — triggers a dopamine rush. And even if the pack disappoints, the brain stays fixated on the hope that the next one will be a jackpot. It’s a cycle eerily similar to slot machines and other forms of gambling.
In 2024, The Pokémon Company introduced Pokémon TCG Pocket, a mobile app that replicates the pack-opening experience digitally. Users can open virtual packs daily and spend real money to open more — all without physically owning any cards. Critics have raised concerns that the app offers the same dopamine “hit” without the real-world constraints of cost, space, or physical collection, making it even easier to become addicted.
Unlike physical packs, which at least provide tangible value, digital packs prey purely on the user’s psychological need to chase the next high — turning the experience into a digital slot machine disguised as a card game.
The Pokémon card boom is a case study in how modern products can hijack our brain chemistry — not out of malice, but through clever design. While collecting can still be fun and meaningful, it’s important to recognize when the hobby crosses into addiction.
Before tearing into that next pack, ask yourself: are you after the card… or chasing the feeling? Awareness is key. You don’t have to quit collecting altogether, but setting boundaries might be the most powerful card you can play.
