Digital Card Central

Well, we know there are a lot of Yankee fans in Bunt, and we know that ToppsMike is one of them. As Jeter’s retirement approached, we knew that licensing was going to be an issue until Topps found a way to secure rights for him outside of the MLBPA. Now that Topps has announced a new deal, I think its safe to say that Jeter’s return will be welcomed with open arms.

If you remember back to 2014, Topps released two sig cards in Bunt that remain among the most coveted in the app, even two years later. Jeter’s signature series card is an iconic example of the distance Bunt was able to go within the market back when the last major update to the app took place. It still sells for considerable money when they come up on eBay, and dont even bother trying to trade for one.

Because there are so many Yankee fans in the app, these types of players enjoy a status that is unlike most of the retired stars that Topps has under contract. It extends to the physical side as well, especially considering that Jeter hasnt had a licensed signature card since Upper Deck lost their physical baseball license back in 2009-2010. That’s a lifetime in the hobby, and now that his cards will be making their long awaited premiere on both sides of the aisle, Im curious what might be next as Topps looks to solidify their place in digital.

Hopefully we start to see many more opportunities to bring fan favorite players into the fold, but this has to be one of the bigger ones we have seen and will see for a while.

A few days ago, I wrote about being a new user and how overwhelming the experience could be. Today I want to take it from the other end and talk about the challenges the existing users face in staying active within the community. Although I think the challenge is much less difficult than the challenge of starting from scratch, it is still worth the conversation.

Keeping Engaged

I think that engagement within the apps themselves is dependent on the value presented in each aspect of the app. Packs, trading and competition are the largest contributions to the ways people stay active, as they represent so much of daily activity. If any of those legs are kicked out for an individual, I would have to say participation and engagement fall dramatically. Obviously these three things are broad topics, but as a whole they boil down to simple concepts.

• Packs – Is there a desire to open packs and acquire more content
• Trading – Is there a desire to acquire new collection pieces through trading with others?
• Competition – Does the user have a desire to improve standing in their app presence?

To be honest, the first one is really a measure of content quality and interesting mechanics within the app. On a user level, this is 100% driven by Topps and only a portion of the desire to keep opening depends on user to user diagnosis of the “cool factor” of a card. It can also play into competition, and the desire to spend money or coins to stay ahead of other users with a similar collection. If you are hoarding Rey, there is some level of user or personal competition with maintaining a top collection. It can also provide a source of pride to own the rare card or a set that was difficult to collect. That competitive element has to flourish for this leg to remain strong, and if users dont feel the need to keep ripping packs, weak foundations can crumble on activity.

The question becomes a statement on whether or not users find it fulfilling to stay a part of the app. Existing users, who have seen the cycles for years may be used to the ups and downs, but I have seen more and more people feel like the fun they had experienced previously in their app campaigns just isnt there anymore. It could be that there are too many options for apps, and they are feeling spread thin. Maybe the content isnt changing or evolving enough to continue interest in ripping packs. Maybe trading is getting too difficult with the way eBay has influenced overall value. Not only is ripping packs not interesting anymore, the trade value is severely undercut by farmers who spend nothing and sell for low return just to turn over inventory.

There are many apps out there that find this trajectory to be a struggle. Look at what happened with Pokemon since the explosion earlier this year. They have struggled to keep users engaged, and their desire for expansion had a large impact on existing users. Not enough time was dedicated to keeping things fresh and stability was such a huge issue that millions stopped playing. If nothing evolves, and nothing changes, the users get bored. Topps’ expansion of their portfolio has been welcome and fun, but have we seen a Pokemon effect as a result? Would the apps be further along and more engaging if they hadnt spent the time releasing 4 in the last year and 5 in the last two years? Its a good question to ask.

Cost to Participate

Topps is a business. Topps needs to make money to keep funding the games. If the money goes away, so do the games. They cant build their apps around free players other than in the sense that free players eventually become pay players. Its their job to entice people to spend money.

There are issues with this approach, because at some point the cost to participate overcomes the desire to engage with the app. When the cost of being competitive within the app itself overshoots a user’s concept of “disposable income” and doesnt allow for true value to be derived, then people give up.

What makes this even more complicated is the way digital has a huge presence on eBay, especially when cost to acquire new content via the Topps store is SO MUCH more expensive than buying it on eBay. Bunt is a great example of this, because their signatures have such ridiculous odds. I could spend 100 bucks ripping packs on Bunt, or literally buy the card for 25 bucks. That’s what the odds showcase.

The reason this is so skewed has to do with the perception of the app as a whole, and how people have chosen to exploit the system. Its a vicious circle, as coin farmers run programs that allow them to harvest coins for a small investment. Because the investment is so small, they dont need to sell for very much to make a huge profit. Then, because the market has been set so low, the rest of the sellers dont have a conscious value concept of how much the card SHOULD be worth if the odds held up.

If you think about it, the only real way to preserve value is to keep counts where they are, but make odds super easy. Make the releases more about being on when the cards hit, and less about having a ton of coins to throw at the packs. Starving coin farmers is a huge plus as well, as they wont be able to set the market either.

I mentioned in the previous post that changing the way new users are registered is a start. Closing the farmer loopholes are important to the overall health of the market. If the market value increases for cards, the cost to participate can be much more connected to what a user gets out of their participation.

Negativity

This is a huge thing that has become a big factor of the community’s participation, as the last year and a half in Star Wars has bred negativity in an unprecedented way. If you remember back, the community in SWCT was literally the best of any app. Since the shift that happened around last summer, its become a place where criticism is the norm, and positive commentary is at a minimum. Most of it is warranted, dont get me wrong, but it is also a drain on the fun that the community used to represent.

Im not going to sit here and argue in the slightest that people dont have a right to be critical of the way things have happened over the last year. That would be about as worthwhile as trying to trade a base card for a Vintage Han. What is worthwhile is starting a discussion of the true impact this negativity has on the ways users want to stay engaged within the apps themselves. If all we all talk about is how bad things have gotten, at what point does that become reality? At what point do we all give up and leave?

For someone like me, if you have seen my twitter account, you know I feast on the negativity around Panini’s NFL physical card exclusive. Looking at the way I participate in the physical hobby, all that negativity has resulted in a severe decrease in my appreciation overall for the hobby. Im just not as active anymore. I think the same can be said here, if all we look for in things is the negative, it becomes more likely that the community will decrease. Granted, a change in the business plan utilized to fund the Topps apps might shift that negativity into a more positive fashion, but if it hasnt happened by now, what is it going to take? Right?

As a discussion of the challenges existing users face, going into article comments and see people fighting over how much of a ridiculous situation this release represents, it has a lot of hidden impact.

Where Do We Go From Here?

If you look back at the last two articles, its clear that there are a lot of questions and not a lot of answers. This is where I think the community has some great ideas, especially in creative situations that can work for both Topps and the users. I encourage you guys to really sit down and find ways to communicate them in as constructive a fashion as possible. Be more vocal about what you want, but dont be a jerk when you do it. Its as much about collaboration as it is anything else.

Back in 2014, I started this site for one reason, and one reason only. I wanted to offer a resource for people who needed to learn about Bunt and Huddle. At the time, there were only two apps, and the outline for onboarding was pretty simple. Join up, rip some packs, trade some cards, play in the weekly contest. Now? If I started this whole thing today, I honestly wouldnt even know where to start. That is such a tremendously enormous problem, that it might be why there has been such a downturn in the apps recently. Bottom line, it takes a lot for someone to get going on Topps apps, and if you want to grow the user base, its going to be more challenging now than it ever has been.

I want to boil it down to something as rudimentary as the simplicity of things is gone, but Im thinking that is just the start of it. I say that because simplicity isnt just a matter of ease of use, its a concept for which all the functionality is based. On top of that, the official resources that support the apps are absolutlely non-existent, and Topps’ use of social media to answer user questions is poor. I dont necessarily fault them for that, as their producers are tasked with so much that adding community management to their plate would add considerable bulk to their responsibilities.

As an exercise in determining ease, take a look at the state of any of the apps from a brand new user perspective. Not talking about cross traffic into another app you dont play, but really think what it must be like for someone who stumbles upon Star Wars from the app store. If you didnt already know what you do, would you be able to figure out how to have fun in the app? More importantly, would you have enough fun to want to spend money and support the business? I think the answer for some is a resounding yes, as we have found out. The thing is, you might already be part of the market that is prime for the apps. What about that person who just saw Rogue One and wants to dive a bit deeper into the Star Wars universe? Would they be someone that can really become a part of the community in a meaningful way? Im not sure that question is as clear.

Even more importantly, how does the negativity displayed on social media and in the articles resonate with you if you are a new user? If you can even figure out how to get to the comments and what people are talking about, would that type of experience hold any water? Im not sure it would for everyone, but it adds a variable to the whole mix of things. At this point, they have to see the app, download the app, open the app, register in the app, understand the functionality, and now avoid all the negativity. We arent even to trading yet, which is always a fun adventure.

Every Topps Digital app is built on user to user communication and interactivity, even though some have divested from that plan over time. For us, its still why the apps are fun. It creates competition and it offers an opportunity to pass the time inside the app. With no resources, we found our way, but couldnt you say that it isnt as easy these days? In Star Wars especially, there are so many different variants and types of releases, combined with changes in pack mechanics to really understand from the get go how to trade effectively without losing your ass in a lopsided deal. Again, this isnt impossible to overcome, but it can get you nasty notes in trades, and might sour users for good if they realize their best card was traded for nothing. I have seen that happen so many times I cant even count.

Im not detailing this all for fun, because that really serves no purpose. Im outlining the different scenarios for a few reasons. First, in the hopes that Topps can really invest time in making the new user experience positive. Second, that we all see that its important to bring new users along instead of flaming them into destruction. Lastly, to see if I am really looking at this from the wrong lens. Its important to mention that objectivity in this exercise is essential. Sure, you made it through the fire and are now a contributing member in some fashion. Do you ever think back to what you had to go through to get to the point you are at? What made you want to start and keep going? How can Topps replicate that in a constructive fashion so that more users join the app community?

Considering that Topps is also making a push to convert physical collectors over to digital, there are even more reasons why that audience is a lost cause than trying catch casual fans perusing the app store. I have seen such vitriol towards digital because physical collectors cant distance themselves from the intangibility of the content on the apps. They also feel bitter that digital is getting more attention, which they feel detracts from resources being dedicated to the side of the hobby they love. If this is truly an overwhelming sentiment, imagine what their experience as a new user could turn into!

There are a lot of questions in this post and not a lot of suggestions. I have made suggestions in the past, but I dont think they were really determined to be a viable use of resources. Now that the trajectory of membership has gone down in many of the flagship apps, a blind eye can no longer be turned to new user acquisition.

Even further down the path is user retention, which I feel is something that really hadnt been a focus until it had to be. Once you get someone going, do you really have the methods to keep them around if they have an issue? Is it worth it to keep them around if they are going to continue to be a negative influence? All good questions.

Overall, I am interested in a community discussion about these topics as I feel this is one of the parts of the app where the existing user base has a hand in the direction of the trends.

I think e-Pack has come a very long way in how they create content to be delivered in the digital and physical elements of their program. We saw that Goodwin Champions had some great chase content that led to some potentially high value prizes, and it looks like that was only the beginning.

Starting now and running until Jan 29th, e-Pack collectors will have an opportunity to piece together achievements delivered by cards from packs of Ultimate Collection Hockey. Being the top collector in any number of specific categories will qualify users for some prizes that include exclusive physical content. For a concept that includes both a digital and physical element to the chase, this is pretty cool all around. In seeing some of what the prizes entail, Im a bit tempted to really dive in deep and try to score some of the content.

Here is how it works. When you open packs of Ultimate Collection hockey, each card is assigned a red shield that displays how many Quest points that card is worth. Collect enough of the points, move up the leaderboard in specific categories, get prizes. More cards = more points, so the more packs you open, the more you trade, the more Quest points you can get.

Adding fuel to the fire, there are avatars that will be available in game as well, showcasing participation and progress for the users who get into the game. In other digital collecting programs, this type of badge of honor is important to showcasing clout within the community, and I see that being similar here.

For a contest that is built around a super premium product like Ultimate Hockey, programs like this entice collectors to open the packs online just to get the extra gameplay element. I think its a GREAT idea, especially considering how difficult it is to remain profitable for people opening these packs on a regular basis. If you were already going to open a few cases, this now makes that experience quite a bit more valuable.

I think that this will hopefully extend out to new products that hit the store eventually, because its obvious that this is a way to engage the competitive nature of collectors who want to show off their wares. I have often said that competition of this type is what is missing across digital as a whole, especially with how many of us collect just to show off how much we have.

My interest in e-Pack has increased significantly over the last few months, more so now that Upper Deck is really starting to invest more and more into their digital strategy. It has become so much more attractive in obtaining product, and I think this is just the tip of the iceberg. Contests like e-Pack Quest are setup to bring value to opening packs on the application, and I dont see that very many other places around the physical card industry. The entire offering was already one of the first Super Premium sets to be offered online in this fashion, and all these extra achievement based contests just make things that much more interesting.

Cant wait to see what comes next.

Man, these days are always tough. Coming off the extreme high of one of the best game 7s in World Series history to know that we are now in day one of about 160 for the Bunt offseason. Considering everything we went through this year, Im actually kind of regretting that its over until next year.

To be fair, Bunt started off with its fair share of issues. Some of those issues plagued the game for a large part of the first half of the year, and one could argue that things didnt exactly rebound as high as we thought they would. A few of the glitches prompted things to happen that have never been necessary in the apps before, although I believe the team did a good job handling the immediate damage control.

I think that in terms of content, there were a lot of reasons to be EXTREMELY excited about Bunt this year. Marathons like Signature Series and others looked the best they have ever looked, and many of the chase sets were insanely well done. Even though things were a mess on the contest side, the rest of the goods were well packaged and looking fresh. Some of my favorite cards ever made in Bunt were made this year, and the art team went above and beyond in making up for some of the gap.

As we moved into the playoffs, and got the new app build, im still not 100% convinced that it does everything better. However, it corrects so much of the slowness and massive data file size that the rest seems insignificant. Although we have yet to see some of the cool upgrades like the video cards in Skate, im pretty sure they will be coming to commemorate some of the historic things that happened last night.

Looking to Next Year

When the app goes into planning for next year, I think there are some major things that need to be on the road map to ensure long term success for Bunt’s future. Some of the things are building on what is already in the works, others are literal rip and replace type of stuff.

App structure – the last time the app significantly changed was back in 2014, when we got our first taste of the current platform in Bunt. Since then, there have been movements upwards but I havent seen the real initiative taken to add something that wasnt there before. I want the team to really sit down and find out what the long term play is here. Will Bunt (or all the apps for that matter) exist in their current state with minor variations that improve with technology, or is there a larger goal in the works.

New User Experience – Right now, a new user hopping into the app on day one of the new season is a very difficult experience to undertake. It was why I started my site back in 2014 and it really hasnt changed all that much. Because of the direction of the app, they are immediately flooded with everything that they dont quite understand. There needs to be a huge focus on new user onboarding, otherwise Topps will be left to the dwindling cross traffic of users that already are part of their app. I know that attracting physical collectors is a big deal, but considering how difficult it is to get up and running, good luck.

Existing User Engagement – This has been something that we need to see Topps get back on the horse. They used to be very active both inside and outside the apps, now its become maintenance with the community instead of engagement. Topps has even moved away from capitalizing on the competitive nature of the user base, as we havent had a place to display our best cards for years. Highlighting what makes the app’s user groups awesome is something that has been sorely missed, and it cant just be FOTW once per week that qualifies as the user engagement from the team.

Cheating – I have talked about this recently more and more, but the app needs to put a stop to users that are taking advantage of gaps in the app’s code and functionality to gain an edge – either for eBay sales, or general participation in Bunt. This is a huge problem, and has turned off a lot of individuals from participation in certain things because they know that the users who exploit those methods will always outperform those who dont.

Contests – This needs to be started from scratch. Its gotten to the point where I have grown largely uninterested in playing along, because I feel like the whole play mode has become relatively stale. Physical prizes are awesome, but that is few and far between, and not likely cost effective to roll out widespread. I feel like the team doesnt believe in the impact of a great play mode, and doesnt see the revenue they can generate, so it exists solely just to exist. Its hard to keep things fresh day to day for a 162 game season, which is why there needs to be a change. Play mode IS the unique benefit of Topps Sports apps, and the reason most of us got going in the first place. As it stands today, the apps have shifted to more of a content based delivery system, even though we have seen nice improvements in offering some AMAZING stuff for the winners. Problem is, as mentioned above, im not sure everyone feels like its being managed in a way that doesnt prevent some from taking advantage of the lack of  true policing of the user base.

Content – As much as I want more of a focus on rejuvenating the contest scene, Content has remained a strong point, and that is a good thing. At the same time, I think this strength can continue to get stronger, and it is almost entirely dependent on the team to think of new and innovative ways to deliver it. The Bunt physical product was amazing, but it also had a major snafu in the app that broke some of the promises delivered in the sell sheet. Things like that leave a sour taste, which is more disappointing considering how cool the idea was. Execution is just as important as anything, and I am confident that they will find a way to make this part of the app even better than it already is.

Either way, thanks to the Bunt team for a very fun year. In starting a new job in a new city, I havent had as much of an opportunity to spend the time on the app that I wanted, but its clear that they are really putting in a lot of effort to address what they can and make things awesome. Cant wait to see the weird wild stuff that is on the way, and hopefully we will get to see exactly what this new direction can bring.

We all play digital for a reason. Whether its to pass the time while bored at work, or more of an investment in a hobby, there are reasons why people love what Topps has done with their digital platform. Its cool to think that there are cards to be bought while binging Netflix at 3am in your pajamas, and the question is whether or not that will continue to be a novelty worth spending money on.

As we have seen in Bunt and Huddle over the last two playoff campaigns, and expanded on with other contests for the physical releases on the baseball side, physical prizes for digital contests definitely have the allure unlike anything else. They generate some major buzz too, as we have seen with New Era offering signed caps for winners of recent contests during the world series.

The issue is that it requires a level of confidence in the functionality of the platform, and a lot of money for the users to be competitive enough to participate. Because physical prizes are only offered for the top users, you cant skate by and hope to be competitive on any real level. For the low to mid spenders out there, that means likely giving up on some of the rest of the chases you are engaged in, to focus 100% of your investment in the app. For free players, it means that you are likely out of the competition all together.

That isnt the only issue either – it has to do with people who cheat within the game, either by using emulators or other means to farm coins and get an unfair advantage within the checklists of the cards needed to win. Even if direct purchase is required, having a ton of cards at your disposal to trade means that it isnt hard to get what is needed to be at the top.  There are many accusations floating around, some seemingly legitimate, that the people who are winning some of the prizes are not doing so through legitimate means.

Being that this undermines the confidence in the prize delivery, is this something we can continue to see as the next big thing? With more and more physical and digital crossover on the product side, I think we are far from the end of this type of reward. I just hope that as the Topps Digital team figures out that people are exploiting the registration process and the coins that come with it, that part of things will also be negated.

For free players, as Tapjoy becomes more and more lucrative with double payout sales, that is also a way to get people more involved without spending real money on things that are only contained within your phone. Bottom line, I like the direction this is going, and I hope that as things continue to grow within digital, we see more growth on prizes as well.

Kind of interesting that with each new tease of a new app in the works, the digital collectors out there always want more of their favorite disgusting cabbage patch kid parodies. Garbage Pail Kids has been around forever, and when I was growing up, I had pages of the cards in my collection. I loved that they were designed to be off the wall and gross, and for a 10 year old boy, that was important.

Over the last year, Topps has used the election as a way to bring Garbage pail kids to the on demand trading card market, and now we are finally getting them to use as stickers for the new iPhone functionality. Its not the full app that a lot of people are looking for, but I have to say that Im not sure a full app could be supported by GPK. Although there is a lot of content, it seems quite difficult to imagine how the licensing and chases would work.

That being said, its cool that they found a way to still utilize the content, as I think it has been really quite well done over the course of the primaries and conventions. Now that the election is coming to a head, culminating in one of the nastiest battles I have ever seen, it only makes this type of commentary that much more funny.

It also opens the door for further content, as its clear that the update to iOS has provided a lot of opportunity to add digital properties to the fold without paying the extreme costs to launch an entire app.

Cant wait to see what is coming next, especially when we finally get to see this dogfight in November come to a close.

You can download the stickers here if you are interested.

At the beginning of the baseball season, Topps physical released the first ever on demand trading card series that ran through the entire year. Being that on demand is what makes digital so attractive, it was only a matter of time before it was brought to the other apps. As of today, all of the sports based apps have Topps Now as a series, and the question becomes whether or not the success is translating well to the digital crowd.

Personally, I had indifferent feelings towards recap based cards in general for the apps, unless it was something truly special. Milestones were cool, especially for the players that reached one of the major career numbers. Outside of that, a nice performance dictating a recap card release was interesting to a point, especially early on in a season when player collections were thin.

Now that we are through the “onboarding” stages of the Topps Now game in all the apps, im starting to wonder when we are going to get the next iteration of the cards. Topps has had signature versions and relic versions through the baseball playoffs, and we havent QUITE yet gotten the same type of content on the digital side. There have been a few variant type cards, but nothing consistent.

It makes me wonder when we will start to see Topps Focus from NHL Skate start to translate into a worthwhile program in the other apps. Even more so when full video can be used for daily recap content. Similarly adding live signature type content when the Topps Now cards do eventually get signed would also be really cool to see. I could even see them offering a digital version code when the physical version is purchased. A two for one type of deal.

All in all, it becomes an exercise in testing the water on a platform built around on demand type content as it is. If we are being frank here, Im not sure Topps Now type content even is as interesting in digital format specifically for that reason. Digital already had a significant use for recap style content, and did a pretty good job of it. Headlines has been a part of Bunt and Huddle for a number of years, and it didnt really need a re-branding.

Im curious to see where this goes, as its clear that Topps Now is not going away. With new technology coming to the app, going to be cool to see how they can increase interest for users that want to partake. I think its kind of getting stale at this point a bit, and the World Series might be a way to get things back on the right track.

Over the last week, we have gotten our first look at Base Series 4, and it features the 1977 retro design that many of us have had a lot of exposure to over the last few years. Although its a fan favorite, there is a lot of questions surrounding the motivation around using the design again in the grand scheme of thing.

The Good

First off, there is no denying this design has gravitas with the fans. Its clear that it resonates, and has nostalgia associated with it that brings a positive reaction from many of the users.

It also brings the possibility of national attention having an anchor design that many outside Star Wars fans are familiar with. It gives them a point of reference that a larger portion of potential users are easily recognizing. In other words, this seems like a play for publicity, and Im perfectly fine with it. SWCT needs this type of exposure, and its clear that any additional users added could bring more trading partners and more potential for growth within the market.

I also like the delivery method of using the queue again, as its different and gives a lot of exposure to the cards that would normally be associated with a direct purchase bundle. Making them available through this type of pack journey isnt unwelcome to me. Much better than hitting a button and waiting for sales.

Lastly, I think the design has changed a little bit to be incorporated into Base 4, and they seem to be using more movie stills to generate the content. It looks cool, and I think with the departure from existing base has been long overdue. Although Base Series 2 was cool, I like the change to something completely different.

The Bad

Because this isnt a NEW design, its hard to support it as fully as we would with something completely brand new. This look has been trotted out so many different ways over the last 2 years, that by now, its a little stale to say the least.

I also think that with Rogue One coming into the fray, this is an opportunity to distance it from existing content within the app. Give the users an opportunity to have something with Rogue One base that hasnt existed yet. Its not as novel with the 1977 retro again, and that’s disappointing.

Im not entirely convinced that preview cards are necessary at all. From the beginning of the new design base that hit before the force awakens came out, I just wanted packs to open instead of being overly patient with Topps trying to monetize the release of a card set that shouldnt monitized.

In the end, the jury is still out on Base Series 4, at least as a whole. Going to be interesting to see how hoarding plays into all of this as well.

Today is a big day. Today Topps released the first animated/video cards in the digital hobby, which hopefully means the beginning of a new chapter in their apps. With the change in app format to the new build available on Bunt and Skate, it looks like there is finally code available to bring video to the environment. As someone who has called on this for years, this is a welcome change and a very exciting opportunity.

Basically, when pulled from a pack or selected from the sheet, the user has the option to play the video embedded in the card. These cards are called “FOCUS” in Skate, and were delivered free to every user via the store.

In seeing the Crosby card, im nothing short of floored for the way these new cards look and function. They arent clunky, they are seamless in the way they are integrated into the sheet, and hopefully do not require a huge data chunk to store.

Considering that one of the features of the new app style is a reduced storage footprint, maybe this is the opportunity to bring more exclusive content to all apps.

To be honest, there is so much that can be used for this over all of the platforms that Topps owns. I could see Topps NOW being attached to a particular highlight, I can see signature cards that show Mike Trout smashing a home run. This might be the opportunity to finally add more than just digital card collecting to the unique benefits of what Topps Digital is all about.

This is nothing short of a game changer in my mind, as its clear that this could be the start of something huge. The question is how this will progress across the Skate App, and how it will eventually be used in Bunt, Huddle, Kick and SW as well. I would love to see a Stone Cold stunner on my Steve Austin slam card, and a tap out on my UFC cards to boot. Video rights could be more complicated to obtain, which might complicate things. If not, can you imagine a new card released that shows a portion of the next Rogue One trailer? This could go a long way.

Overall, now that Topps has debuted this new format, its going to be interesting what other fun things the new app build will be capable of. Will we finally get our user showcase to show off our wares? Hopefully Focus is just the beginning.