Wayward City Games — Local services in Vancouver

Was excited to check this store out as it's so close to my parent's home when I come to visit them. The selection was impressive and prices seemed great. However, both times I was in were unfortunately ruined by the rude staff member who was working the counter. The first time when he was short with us about the prices of singles, we figured it would be a fluke and gave the benefit of the doubt. I remember my girlfriend asking me if she did something wrong to upset him and I had to assure her that she did not. It's really not a problem to let us know you need to check the prices of a single, that's pretty obvious. You probably shouldn't act like my girlfriend is a complete idiot for asking the price however. I doubt that this person helping us was the owner because usually owners are really kind and helpful towards people attempting to spend hundreds of dollars at their business... rather than dismissive and arrogant.

The second time we came back, the same employee was working. That morning I had submitted a list of cards to the Wayward City Games website buylist, and it said I should mail the cards on the buylist to them. I was hoping to bypass this since it's local and brought my binder with me to the store. While my girlfriend and I were browsing, I casually mentioned I was trying to sell some singles on their buylist and the guy immediately said "no sorry we don't buy singles right now." I responded with "oh ok, well the website let me submit cards on the buylist and told me to mail them in, so that's weird." Most customer service professionals in this situation would probably say something along the lines of "oh that's weird, well i'm sorry but as far as I know, we aren't purchasing at the moment. I'll look into that though." This is NOT the response he had. He became very confrontational basically telling me NO that's IMPOSSIBLE you're WRONG. Really just left us with the impression that sadly, this employee in particular would be keeping us from coming back to this store again. It's a real shame considering that I like the space, location,...

Wayward City Games is everything a local game store should be. It’s clean, organized, and—most importantly—welcoming to a wide range of TCG communities, including those that often get overlooked. Whether you're into Magic, Pokémon, Lorcana, ONe Piece or a game that hasn’t had a new print run in over five years(i.e. Transformers), you'll find support, space, and a thriving community here.

One of the things I truly appreciate is their commitment to fair pricing. In a market flooded with “market rate” gouging—especially for Pokémon products—Wayward stands apart. While there may be a slight markup compared to vending machines or some online retailers, it’s more than reasonable. That difference supports a real, physical space where players can gather, compete, and build connections. It’s a small price to pay for community, consistency, and a welcoming environment.

A quick note on Joe, since I’ve seen a few reviews mention him—he’s one of the owners, and he’s deeply passionate about both the games and the people who play them. He can come across as a bit brusk or direct, and I’ve experienced that myself once or twice. But in hindsight, those conversations left me better informed. For example, I learned why formal Pokémon League stores can’t sell certain items—like alcohol—even if other shops do. Even a perceived connection can cost a store its official status. Joe’s knowledge runs deep, and he’s not gatekeeping it—he’s sharing it, sometimes with a little edge, but always with sincerity.

Don’t let a first impression or a brief, direct interaction keep you from experiencing what this shop has to offer. For every bit of edge, there’s an equal amount of genuine concern, empathy, and passion for his fellow gamers. Joe’s player-first mentality and his dedication to building an inclusive, supportive TCG community are exactly why I keep coming back and have WCG as my first choice when buying product locally. This place is the real deal, and it deserves to thrive.

TL;DR: Great store, fair prices, knowledgeable staff, and a strong community focus....

Went in with my boyfriend to take a look at single Magic cards and to pick a booster box to purchase. First, my boyfriend mentioned selling singles to the shop and the gentleman running the store at the time very bluntly said they were not purchasing cards at the time. My boyfriend, confused, said he had just that morning listed cards for sale on their website and was coming in to ask for directions on next steps. The gentleman replied that it was impossible since they were not buying cards. We had proof of the listing/cards being accepted. The gentleman continued to say they were not buying cards and wasn’t helpful in resolving the situation. We moved on since he kept repeating the same thing in a condescending way. I then asked the gentleman behind the counter to view a few of the singles I was interested in purchasing. When I let him know I was interested in buying several of them, he grabbed them and started to walk away from us. I replied “Oh, sorry, I would like to know the price first”. He replied rudely “Yeah, I have 1000’s of cards here, I don’t memorize the prices. I have to look on the computer.” He then continued to walk to the front. I ended up spending over $200 because I did want the product, but the interaction has since caused my boyfriend and I not to return. We prefer to go to Battle Grounds Gaming Cafe in Portland, OR; they don’t sell singles but they do sell pre-con commander boxes and their Magic events are really...