I sold some Pokémon cards to make this website
After losing my role at Wargamer, I sold Pokémon cards to finally launch Kanto Post - an independent home for Pokémon fans.
If you’ve been collecting any Pokémon TCG products over the last year and a half, and you’ve seen a little site called Wargamer pop up during your searches, chances are it was written by me. From those valuable Pokémon cards to the collectors (or scalpers) behind them, I’ve been writing about it practically every day for almost 500 days.
For those who don’t know me, my name is Callum Self. I’m an experienced videogames journalist with over six years in the industry. However, over the last year and a half, I’ve been dedicated to the Pokémon TCG at Wargamer, and it’s helped me fall in love with the franchise all over again. My focus is on collecting over playing or market value.
Sadly, my role at Wargamer’s parent company was made redundant last month. All of my time covering the Pokémon TCG suddenly felt pointless, and all of that work suddenly no longer felt like mine. Admittedly, I felt a little lost at this time; my motivation was sapped, and I was directionless.
You see, the publishing industry is in a tough spot right now. Google’s changes and AI’s rampant takeover have left many publishers in challenging positions or outright losing, forcing them to shut down or make entire segments redundant. It sucks, and the media industry has never looked more bleak.
So, why am I starting a website?
Well, for one, I love talking about Pokémon. Any of my former Wargamer colleagues will tell you just how much I could natter on about it, and how passionate I was for writing articles, opinion pieces, or reviews. It became a routine of mine - every day was a Pokémon day, whether I was super busy or not.
So, being made redundant from my role wasn’t a curse or a frustration, at least in most ways. Instead, it was a way to spread my wings, and like a Crobat out of Hell, here I am. Kanto Post is the work and money of a month of evenings and weekends. This is a scary experience, but I’m also extremely excited.
With all of that being said, here’s what Kanto Post can bring to you:
Editorial Independence
As an independent publication and a solo-founded website, Kanto Post has freedom. I’m still beholden to the values of a journalist, but no traffic chasing or algorithm meetings is deciding what I can write. I can write a story on the new Pokémon sets before writing a lengthy retrospective on Psyduck, if I want. That’s the benefit of being independent.
Passion over revenue
I love Pokémon. I could (and do) talk about it all day, but sometimes, a story with potential revenue benefits outweighs passion in a lot of for-profit publishers. That’s fine, as it’s a big requirement, but with Kanto Post, passion comes first.
Newsletters and community
While the exact number of newsletters hasn’t been decided yet, and will likely be finetuned over time, you should expect at least one a week, with the latest reveals, news that couldn’t make it into articles, and preparations for TCG stock. You’ll also be able to join the Discord server, chatting with other trainers to your heart’s delight.
As Kanto Post grows, I hope to introduce more ways to share my love for the franchise in the form of other content. This will be shared in due course.
If you’re keen to support Kanto Post in this ambitious project, here’s what you can do:
Turn off ad-block: We won’t be introducing a lot of ads - the content will still be readable. But it’s a source of revenue to keep the hosting running, so it would be great if you could allow us to show you ads.
Use affiliate links: Any product pages will have links to our affiliate platforms. We earn a commission on purchases, and this is a great way to support us.
Subscribe: Whether you’re a free subscriber or one who uses our subscription system with various benefits, joining the site as a member keeps you in the loop and helps the site be discovered
At launch, we’ll be focusing on Pokémon TCG, Pokémon Go, Pokémon Wind & Waves, and other Pokémon (this is merchandise, accessories, collaborations, etc.), and I will - as time goes on - slowly expand into other content like Pocket and the anime.
I hope you enjoy the content, and feel free to share it if you like what you read. Regardless, I’m glad you’re here with me as I try to be the very best (Pokémon site), like no one ever was.
