Some founders thank their customers with a discount code. Others send a branded T-shirt. Sam Kiki offered to go shopping for their dream Pokémon cards.
On June 25, the Tilt Rips founder opened the floor to his collector community on X, asking which "chase grails" they wanted to see land in the platform's packs. "I'll go buy them," he wrote, before naming a few of the hobby's biggest heavy hitters: Munch "The Scream" series, Van Gogh Pikachu, Daniel Arsham Crystalized cards, Poncho Pikas, Mario and Luigi Pikas, Pretend Boss and Gold Stars.
"Send me pics + serial numbers and I'll grind," Kiki added.
The replies rolled in within minutes. Fans tossed out their own most-wanted cards, from Slowkings to Level X and silver EX, treating the post like a genie had just shown up offering three wishes.
That reaction makes sense once you understand what these cards are worth.
Most of the names on Kiki's list are special-edition promos and art collabs that were never meant to be easy to find. The Mario and Luigi Pikachu cards were released only in Japan, and the full-art versions can now clear five figures in top condition. Gold Star cards take things even further, with PSA 10 copies now selling for six figures. And the Poncho-wearing Pikachus Kiki name-checked aren't exactly bargain-bin cards either, with rare versions pulling in tens of thousands of dollars of their own.
Giving back is hardly new territory for Kiki. The two-time High Stakes Poker record-holder runs a weekly initiative called Tilt-Anthropy, going live on X every Friday to hand out prizes among fans pulled at random from his platforms. "We want to give back to our community," he explained, pointing to the people who root for new launches and send feedback.
Beyond the giveaways, he's spent years funneling money toward foster kids, wildfire victims and college-bound students.
That community-first streak runs through Tilt Rips, too. The platform launched in May, letting users open digital packs for a shot at real, PSA-gradeable cards they can ship home, vault or flip on an in-app marketplace, the same chase Kiki grew up loving, rebuilt for a new generation of collectors.
