The Pokémon TCG’s latest release is quickly going up in flames. Prismatic Evolutions, scheduled to release on January 17, is your typical full-sized Pokémon TCG release in a lot of ways. That said, the overall consensus of the Pokémon community is that this set has a major supply and demand issue.
According to Pokebeach, the average Pokémon TCG store had 10-15% of its requested distribution denied. That may not seem like much, but for an overall average, it can be absolutely devastating. This means that every single TCG store, on average, isn’t going to be able to supply 10-15% of their demand. Thanks to this, scalpers are in full force.
Unaffordable at Release
The supply and demand issue for Pokémon Prismatic Evolutions is well-known at this point. Not only does a lack of supply leave some customers wanting, but it further increases demand through FOMO. Not only do you have Pokémon collectors and competitors as part of your demand, but scalpers are now entering the fray as well, trying to make a quick buck.
As a result of the obscene demand for Pokémon Prismatic Evolutions, current prices for the set are absurd. A Prismatic Evolutions Booster Pack, at the time of writing, costs $15. For reference, the latest Pokémon TCG set’s Booster Pack is only worth about $7. Booster Bundles between Prismatic Evolutions and Surging Sparks, for example, cost $89 and $43, respectively. The Elite Trainer Box retails for $55 but is worth about $125 on the secondary market.
Players are Leaving
Like many popular trading card games, Pokémon TCG products in high demand, or vintage products, are known to be rather expensive. Having product be this expensive thanks to supply and demand at release, however, is something completely different. As a result, many Pokémon collectors are deciding to walk away from the game. Pokémon has simply become far too expensive to keep up with:
“I’m so serious. The Pokémon company really needs to come through with a TON of Prismatic Evolution products. We need it to be over saturated so that scalpers feel the burn on this one. Surging Sparks has been a nightmare. Sells out instantly then gets resold for double the price”DAVO OLSON on X:
Scalpers aren’t stopping at just Prismatic Evolutions. A recent wave of Pokémon 151 product was released at Costco over the last few weeks. This is the last chance to grab the popular product at retail prices. Since those sets are also selling for double their retail value, scalpers flooded Costcos across the nation. Many stores sold out within minutes. This also suggests that big box stores will be hit hard when Pokémon Prismatic Evolutions releases in stores like Walmart, as well.
Considering the events of the past few weeks, it makes sense that the Pokémon TCG community is incredibly fatigued over the scalper situation. Hopefully, the Pokémon Company makes better supply and demand calculations for future sets to avoid situations like this.