What an insulting cash grab. This is just more confirmation that players and maybe even collectors should just buy singles.
Honestly, collectors have always benefited over getting singles than opening up products. I don't really think it's ever needed confirmation, there's not really many times you're going to get any value out of opening up stuff (The U.N. Battle Arena deck and the Ray v. Keldeo ones are the only times I can think of off the top of my head that are/were better than getting the singles). The only time I ever really open things is when I want to have some fun, like Shining Legends, or more recently hidden fates (Which I'm still salty about them barely even stocking. Ugh.)
I don't really think TPCi is the one at fault for it being cash-grabby, they're just playing catch up with the Japanese side of the card game. If you want to blame something, blame whoever decided that Rainbow Rares and Gold Items for nearly every GX and relevant item in the set were a good idea (and whatever they were on in making that decision). I'd be fine with it if they were actually appealing collectibles.
Same. Last year, it was cute with Lost Thunder. After reading this title, I was like, “Alright, whatever.” Just another Sun and Moon set I’m not going to bother to collect because it’s too big for me to care about; just going after a handful of cards. The only thing I’m pleasantly surprised by is that the character rares take the place of the reverse holo.
I'm gonna go after these sets eventually at some point probably, just not the RR's/Gold stuff, I figured I don't need to put down hundreds for some rainbow palette swaps. But main-series Sun and Moon is the least of my priorities, I'm much more interested on finishing up gens 4 and 6 right now and going for whatever WOTC and EX era stuff I can get my hands on. I'd LIKE to be working on Hidden Fates, but haha that one's a disaster so never mind.
The CHR's taking the reverse slot are definitely a nice surprise. It'd have been awful for them to have the same rates as the average SR, especially when they're infinitely more appealing collectibles.