The Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) is facing significant challenges as new products sell out to scalpers in mere seconds, leaving the hobby in real trouble. Pre-orders for the recently announced Journey Together set sold out instantly on the Pokémon Center website in both the UK and US. Products were marked as “UNAVAILABLE” the moment they appeared and quickly switched to “SOLD OUT” despite never being available for purchase.
The same issue occurred with the announcement of Journey Together. New products listed on the “New Releases” page were marked “UNAVAILABLE” when clicked, with the “ADD TO BASKET” button flickering briefly before changing. Attempts to purchase resulted in error messages, and the products were soon marked “SOLD OUT.”
Without a response from The Pokémon Company International (TPCi), it is presumed that bots and scalpers are buying up products to resell at inflated prices.
Journey Together Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs) are already being resold on eBay for over $150, despite typically being readily available in local card stores, Target, and Walmart. Several factors contribute to this issue, including the significant buzz surrounding new sets and the Pokémon TCG Pocket driving millions of players to collect physical cards. As prices start to rise, more people buy up stock to increase scarcity, further driving up prices.
Pokémon cards sell out instantly
This surge in interest is not the first for the Pokémon TCG. The release of Pokémon Go in 2016 and Logan Paul’s $150,000 purchase of a Base Set Charizard in 2020-2021 both sparked massive interest in classic cards.
However, the current issue affects brand-new sets, breaking the hobby for regular players. Casual collectors and kids looking to buy a $5 pack are now out of luck, and the scarcity prevents players from keeping up with the meta or redesigning decks. As of now, there is little to buy from the last three full sets online, affecting not only collectors but also clubs and casual players.
Popular Pokémon YouTuber “PokeRev,” known for opening and giving away crates of new stock, has expressed concerns about the lack of availability and rising resale prices of recent sets. He feels guilty knowing his viewers might not be able to get their hands on new cards. The Pokémon Company International needs to address these challenges to preserve the hobby for enthusiasts and new players alike.
The current situation is unsustainable and risks alienating a significant portion of the Pokémon TCG community.