One of the most notable changes to splinterlands over the past year has been the decline in the value of older cards. Once highly sought after, these cards are losing value. Let us explore some factors that may have led to this.
More Cards, Ever Changing Meta
At the time when Alpha and Beta sets were released, they changed the meta and offered new abilities. However, fast forward to today, and you have new editions like Riftwatchers and Rebellion, which have brought new gameplay elements and new abilities. These abilities and inevitable rebalancing have shifted the focus away from older cards. Consequently, the older cards are not only less useful in competitive play but also struggle to retain their market value.
Over-Printing
Another factor contributing to the decrease in the value of older cards is the number of them in circulation. When these cards were first introduced, the player base was smaller, and the market was smaller as well. Over time, the player base has grown but it has not kept pace with the large number of cards being printed. Because of this oversupply, the market is flooded with cards.
Power Creep and Ability Inflation
The Power Creep phenomenon is present in every tactical collectable card game. The longer the game is in existence, newer cards will have better abilities, and be more potent while leaving older cards lagging.
Splinterlands is no different and an example of power creep is the introduction of abilities like Bloodlust and Weapons Training. Older cards will struggle against cards with these abilities and as a result, players are naturally more inclined to utilize these new and shiny overpowered abilities as they can help in clinching victory in battle. A once-powerful Alpha, Beta or Untamed card may now seem like a liability when compared to their newer compatriots.
Modern vs Wild League Segregation
Let us face it - one of the biggest changes in splinterlands came with the introduction of the Modern and Wild formats. While Wild League allows players to use all cards, Modern limits them to more recent sets, such as Chaos Legion and Rebellion. The league segregation has a huge effect on older cards. The Wild league has more players (and bots) and therefore fewer rewards available for players. Therefore, players with older editions are restricted to Wild League and consequently -- fewer rewards.
Should You Invest in Older Cards?
So, with all of this in mind, I wrote a post last week about where you should invest in splinterlands today. Would I purchase older cards? Personally, I would not invest in purchasing older cards as the rewards earned from Wild League will not make it worth it. Purchasing older edition cards should be reserved for those who are collectors or enjoy the artwork. For newer players, purchasing the newer sets may result in better results both in terms of investment and rewards in the Modern League.
Conclusion
It is a sad situation to see older cards continuing their downfall in value and there are many reasons for this: over-printing, Modern vs Wild League, Power Creep and newer editions being flashier. Newer players wanting to get involved in splinterlands should look to the newer editions as you will be able to use them in the Modern League and reap more rewards.
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