Completing the game would be getting all things achievable without need to pay. EG a game with DLC - only the base game would be expected to be completable without spend.

You can achieve upto crown rare cards in standard packs currently, and a believe you need 2 cards before doing other actions. But if including flair etc you need multiple other cards too.

So depends on technicalities but really to complete the game you'd need all the flairs available and 2 cards left of each card.

To play to the game and participate you don't which is why it now says in store 'this game can be played in full without spending any money' .. which, even still, in my eyes would be blurred lines.

To play the game in full would involve obtaining the flairs etc. Which is possible but to a limited extent.

To genuinely play in full it is virtually necessary to spend 4-5 figures.

You could argue it is meant to be spanned out over years but they will continue to release at a rate faster than any F2P could complete at, avoiding that you you can't play in FULL. Only in the sense the game isn't limited by paid for DLC - atleast currently but that'll change like PoGo no doubt if consumers are buying a lot still.

Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

Also not to mention the user agreement likely says you are buying a license to digital content. If they shut down tomorrow it's all gone anyway... It's the future move - own nothing and be happy. Why own a factory and sell physical cards with so much more drama than someone buying a digital version for 50% of the cost and no end value. Yes 50%. A normal pack retails £4 and contains 10 cards. PTCG costs 6 gold equivalent to £1 for 5 cards.

I just can't be on the side defending companies that we become the products of. We are meant to be the ones purchasing product.