The Pokémon Trading Card Game community has been facing significant supply issues following the release of Prismatic Evolutions and Blooming Waters sets. High demand coupled with scalpers making purchases has left many fans unable to obtain the latest releases. The rapid sell-out of pre-orders for the upcoming Journey Together set further highlights the ongoing challenges within the market.
Similar to previous instances where special collaborations led to stock shortages and scalper activity, the current situation has echoes of past disruptions. For example, the Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum collaboration saw scalpers overwhelming the distribution channels, resulting in limited availability for genuine fans. This pattern suggests a recurring problem in meeting the high demand for exclusive Pokémon TCG products.
High Demand and Limited Supply
The Journey Together set, featuring the return of Trainer’s Pokémon, saw its pre-orders sold out in under an hour on the official Pokémon website. Similarly, the Prismatic Evolutions set, which centers on the eeveelutions, has been difficult to find in stores. The rarity of special boxed collections like Elite Trainer Boxes and Booster Bundles has exacerbated the issue, making it challenging for collectors to obtain the desired products.
Scalpers Impacting Availability
Scalpers have taken advantage of the limited stock, purchasing large quantities of Prismatic Evolutions boxes and reselling them at significantly inflated prices. Items such as the Umbreon secret art rare card have reached resale prices upwards of $1,950. This resale market trend makes it difficult for average players to access new sets without overpaying.
Company Response to Demand
“We’re aware that some fans may experience difficulties purchasing certain Prismatic Evolutions products at launch due to high demand impacting availability,” Pokémon TCG’s official X account stated. “We are actively working to print more of the impacted Pokémon TCG products as quickly as possible and at maximum capacity to acknowledge this.”
The company’s announcement of reprinting Prismatic Evolutions has provided some relief, causing resale prices to decrease as new stock becomes available. Fans express gratitude for the efforts to address the shortage, though challenges remain with other sets like Blooming Waters.
The ongoing supply shortages and scalper activity pose significant challenges for the Pokémon TCG community. While reprints offer a temporary solution for the Prismatic Evolutions set, other releases like Blooming Waters continue to suffer from limited availability. Collectors and players may need to remain patient as The Pokémon Company seeks to balance high demand with equitable distribution, ensuring that official channels are more accessible to genuine fans in the future.
- Prismatic Evolutions set faces high demand and limited supply.
- Scalpers resell boxes at inflated prices, limiting access for fans.
- The Pokémon Company plans to reprint products to meet demand.
