[JALU3]

Those who created Magic and other Tradable Card Games created a goldmine for the Hobby Shop. Where as with other gaming items, they are really one time purchases, usually at 40-50 dollars for the core book, with 25-50 dollars for additional books . . . several dollars for dice . . . and that's it . . . the customer leaves, and if they really like that system you never see them again.
However, with Magic and other CCGs/TCGs the starting price is low . . . and you need to by more booster packs to build a good deck . . . and then you need to by the next edition because some cars become obsolete in certain rules, or the newer cards overpower the older edition cards . . . and it's an endless cycle . . . and at 2-4 bucks a pop, one doesn't think to hard about the purchase decision as compared to something 10 times as much.

But yah . . . the hardest part is finding people who you can agree with long enough, and enjoy their company, to spend that amount of time with them . . . especially given the instant pleasure that is so common these days . . . a game which takes time, and mental imagination is like a good book.