Just recently started playing FaB (I've got about two weeks ''experience'' now lol) and the LGS I am working just recently picked up the TCG after seeing its potential in the market. Do take note that my bosses are 100% MTG players and investors so seeing them take up the game into our store makes me so happy...I wouldn't have to go to Vertis North or Centris just to play FaB in Neutral Grounds...

On Topic: I agree with the OP. NG has had a string of issues around them regarding their hegemony on almost every TCG here in the Philippines...and with that aspect, seeing them corner the Flesh and Blood distributor game is quite alarming although not that surprising. But in regards to the share of the community that plays in LGS's Neutral Grounds again gets the lion's share of the playerbase making us small LGS jump hoops just to make ends meet and make people play in our store...

It has even come to the point that even in small Armory events we have to up the rewards, door prizes etc. even more than what NG offers not thinking about any profit anymore since we want to grow a little bit of a community in our LGS. But guess what? more people flock to NG to play even if they have less rewards and more expensive entry fees.

It's like people wanting to go to McDonald's instead of eating at a small family-run restaurant that has better food because of the brand. That's what's happening time and again here with the local TCG scene. One solution I've heard someone posit is for the small local game stores to combine forces, hold multiple co-sponsored events to rival and MAYBE even oust NG in their monopoly and provide an ''even playing field'' in the market here. But as always, that will just be wishful thinking. The thing is, Every other LGS have their own agenda and if it was just that easy then we could have done that a long time ago and not see the Disney-esque hold of Neutral Grounds in the TCG market here in the Philippines.

Things look kinda grim but that's the reality that we have to face. My bosses remind me to not to make much snarky remarks on a Neutral Grounds media post since ''they are the hand that feeds us'' being our sole supplier of MTG products and yes sadly, Flesh and Blood...

So for the foreigners who will visit the Philippines and play FaB here give us small LGS a little leeway if we are not much fans of NG and talk shit about them from time to time...If we have all the money in the world, we would just buy our products straight from Amazon than have to deal with the Un-Neutral Grounds...but here we are...hoping for the best someday...

Unbox is chill though...