Play 2 Win Games

Play 2 Win Games is a card and video game store at 3903 Western Avenue in Knoxville, set right off the Western Avenue exit from I-640. It opened on October 28, 2023, and splits its floor between trading card games and retro video games, with console repair and a buy, sell and trade counter running alongside. It suits players who want free table space and organized play, and collectors who have a binder or a basement of games to move.

What's on the shelves

The card side covers Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece Card Game, Disney Lorcana and Digimon Card Game, along with Gundam and Riftbound. The store stocks singles, sealed product and supplies. Beyond cards, it carries modern and retro video games, tested consoles, board games and accessories.

Current singles and sealed stock is browsable in an online catalog, and singles ordered there can be shipped or picked up in the store. Everything the store sells, repairs or upgrades carries a 30-day warranty.

Buying, selling and trading

The store buys TCG singles, sealed product, graded slabs and full collections, plus retro and modern video games, working or broken consoles and handhelds, and accessories. Walk-ins are welcome during open hours, and offers are made the same day. Sellers can take cash or store credit, and credit pays more: up to 50% more than cash on video games, 20% more on consoles and 10% more on TCG singles. Bulk is a flat rate, and common cards are priced as bulk whether or not they are sleeved, so only chase cards need sorting out.

Some practical limits apply. No trade-ins are taken during the last hour of business. A government-issued photo ID is scanned for any console or handheld with a serial number. A sale or trade expected to top $1,000 calls for a digital payment method, since the drawer may not hold that much cash.

Organized play and events

The store runs organized play for Bandai TCG+ games, which covers Digimon, Gundam and One Piece, and for Disney Lorcana. The event calendar includes tournaments, league play, trade nights and swap meets. Pokémon prerelease spots fill fast, so arriving when the store opens is the safe approach. There are no age requirements for any event, and younger players are welcome.

Several tables are set aside for casual play, deck testing and pickup games at no charge. The store also hosts private events and birthday parties by arrangement.

Store policies

The Community First Release Program lets consistent in-store players buy new core set product at MSRP when a set releases. It is limited to one core set item per person, while the release allocation lasts, and the buyer must be present to purchase: no holds, proxies or buying on someone else's behalf. The seal is cut at pickup so the product goes home ready to open. Players who regularly turn up at events, locals and trade nights generally qualify, and staff can say who does.

Payment is accepted in cash, major credit and debit cards, and contactless payments. A customer's store credit account can also be loaded with a payment.

Repairs and upgrades

Console and handheld repair carries a $30 non-refundable diagnosis fee that counts toward the repair. Disc resurfacing runs $3 to $5 per disc depending on quantity. Handheld upgrades include IPS screen installs, shell and button swaps and custom builds.

Hours and getting there

The store is open seven days a week, with the late nights falling Thursday through Saturday.

History

The store was founded by two longtime card traders who met in 2015 and spent roughly eight years planning a shop that would be welcoming to families and gamers. The resident mascot is a sunglass-wearing goat named Bulky, whose running joke is eating the bulk cards. Every Saturday he loses a coin somewhere within 5 miles of the store, and whoever finds it wins $50 in store credit.

The local scene

Several other shops sit close by in Knoxville: Cable's Coin & Collectables at 0.3 miles, Replay Games and More and Packard's Games & Movies at 0.6 miles each, Underdog Collectibles at 0.8 miles and Good Times GameHouse at 2.2 miles. The Knoxville Card Show, 8.2 miles away, next starts on November 21, 2026.