1. Sony and MS milk the Australasian countries. The game here sells for $170 NZD ($130 USD), and the theme decks are $30 NZD ($23 USD). The booster packs sell for a whopping $10 NZD ($7.50 USD vs $4 in the US).

It's simply not (financially) possible to have even an average set of cards without copying. I've bought five packs of cards already but I'll be copying those so I can play the game with friends. I won't be downloading images of cards I don't already own.

If the cards here could be purchased for the same price as in the US I would definitely NOT be copying the cards as they'd be at a price point where it's not worth bothering - and I'd prefer originals vs crappy printed cardboard.

Posted at 4:41PM on Oct 28th 2007 by BigD

2. i would print in a heart beat if i had the cam..why buy em?

Posted at 4:51PM on Oct 28th 2007 by endzo

3. wait so what's the point of having tangible cards for a video game? couldn't they have done this game like so many other card based video games?

Posted at 5:51PM on Oct 28th 2007 by ryano

4. @ ryano -- I'd say it's a gimmick to show off some kind of PlayStation Eye potential. Plus it's pretty cool, regardless. But I've been wrong before.

Posted at 6:07PM on Oct 28th 2007 by ndoerr

5. This is disappointing, i am surprised that they let this happen. i just won't play others online that i don't know. I was planning on trying to collect them, but i don't see the point now. Oh well will save me some money.

Posted at 6:27PM on Oct 28th 2007 by David Tieman

6. My hope is that the majority of people who are actually interested in playing a game like this have a sense of honour about it.

Besides, if the online matchmaking is any good, it will pair you with players at a similar level, which means you'll be evenly matched regardless of what's in your deck. I'm playing with the starter and the booster the game came with, and have a 7-2 record so far. The people I lost to didn't have better decks--I just made stupid strategic errors.

And if copying becomes rampant, you can forget about getting continued expansion packs. Wizards of the Coast isn't going to invest their money in developing new cards if people are just going to print them.

Posted at 6:59PM on Oct 28th 2007 by Mark

7. I wouldn't print them.

I'd hate to think that piracy may discourage Sony and others from developing different games.

Posted at 7:33PM on Oct 28th 2007 by top.slacker

8. EOJ is a blast and I agree that cheating/attempting to stack the deck is a complete waste of time. I've only gone up against the computer, but the games went so quickly that there were few opportunities to even actually use a card above 5 mana. Plus, for those of you on the fence, you can only have so many rare cards in your "deck" at any one time.

Posted at 8:00PM on Oct 28th 2007 by Dru

9. isn't 90% of the fun of this game having the actual card in your hand? I doubt very much I would print them... then again I haven't played the game and don't fully understand it.

Posted at 8:32PM on Oct 28th 2007 by Draco

10. Okay, first of all - I attempted to buy the game, but not one brick and mortar had the f*ckin thing! =S It really sizzles my drizzle that when I go out I almost trip over all the H3s but EoJ is a no-show around here. Several places told me they aren't going to stock PS3 titles too much anymore. So, it really really makes me MAD! >=[

To answer the question... No. I wouldn't print cards out unless I already had them - then it would only be to play a game using the same deck by myself... Why would I play against my own deck? To learn my own strengths and weaknesses AND to tweak said deck. I also need something my friends can play with, since they already tore-up some of my other ccg cards. They are some freaky sore-f'n-losers.

Posted at 9:42PM on Oct 28th 2007 by Consolcwby

11. @ Consolcwby

Go to Wal-mart. Mine had like 15 copies of EoJ.

Posted at 10:46PM on Oct 28th 2007 by Tony

12. @Consolcwby

Which stores told you they weren't gonna stock PS3 titles too much anymore ? I have never heard anything like that ?

Posted at 11:18PM on Oct 28th 2007 by EDGE

13. Definitely true. The only way this will ruin the game for is if WOTC stops making new cards because they aren't making any money.

I used to play Magic a long time ago and me and some friends tried out printing cards to play since we got tired of constantly buying new cards. One friend decided to pretty much stack his deck with nothing but the rarest and most powerful cards in that expansion. He usually got his ass handed to him every game.

What I'm saying is that just because there is going to be some asshats who print out all their cards won't ruin the game. Just having rare and powerful cards doesn't give you an instawin! You still have to actually play smart and build a deck with good synergy, and normally decks like that don't require half your deck to be super rare cards.

Posted at 12:25AM on Oct 29th 2007 by pwnetheus

14. there will be lots of guys that make a really strong deck out of printed cards, but the prmary use for printed cards is to get rare cards, i might print a couple of cards if i cant find them anywhere. but ill mostly be buying the cards to try and build a strong deck (if i like the game that is)

Posted at 5:11AM on Oct 29th 2007 by animekid3515

15. I also used to play Magic and just because you can get all the rare/ expensive cards does'nt ensure that you will be able to beat your opponent. It took planning and little luck of the draw to win.

My only qualm with the whole "rare trading cards should not be copied" arguement is that it takes some of the strategy out of the game. If I'm Joe gamer who works part time and goes to school then I cant afford to have all the rare cards because I cant buy hundreds of boosters hoping to get the good ones or I cant afford to pay some scalper tons more money because he has one to get it.

Having ALL cards avalible to both players at ALL times is the only way to level the playing field.

Just imagine playing Chess with somebody but only one of you could afford to buy a Queen, the one without would be in a world of hurt before move 5.

Posted at 7:23AM on Oct 29th 2007 by ShawnShady

16. I'm not so concerned about the actual deck prices right now as to the EoJ itself. In Sweden it goes for about 90-99 euro, but a friend in the US picked one up for 28 euro from Amazon.

Posted at 7:44AM on Oct 29th 2007 by Broken Haiku

17. They should've just renamed the poll: Are you a douchebag? Because it seems 'yes' is winning.

Posted at 8:04AM on Oct 29th 2007 by TCampbell76

18. It doesnt matter if you own the cards or not. I own them and I have been winning with the normal starter deck that comes out the box. If youre a good player then you dont need to copy.

Posted at 9:50AM on Oct 29th 2007 by Kiros Skye

19. I'm surprised that people are shocked they're photocopyable. How could they possibly prevent that?

What really surprises me is that people actually want to copy them. That kinda defeats the purpose of CCG's (see: collectible), plus everyone will laugh at you. But, whatever, to each his own. The cards don't make a better player anyways.

That being said, I'm considering copying my own cards to play against friends because I CAN'T FIND ANY FREAKIN DECKS OR BOOSTERS ANYWHERE! It was hard enough finding the game, and the stores that do carry it don't carry cards. Maybe I'll just take a drive down to the WotC store... I hate driving so far just for some cards though, it's about 45 min away (1.5 hours of driving for a few cards, ugh).

Posted at 2:40PM on Oct 29th 2007 by Larz

20. Printing cards is not only really lame but sort of pointless for the reasons listed in the article.

I'll get the real ones, thanks.

Posted at 3:07PM on Oct 29th 2007 by Spaz