#scalping

#scalping

While scalping is an ever-present scourge for collectible card game players, it has become a completely ruinous issue for the Pokémon TCG for almost a year now. Ever since the release of Prismatic Evolutions in January 2025, it has been close to impossible for even specialist stores to stock new sets of the wildly popular game, online stores are wiped clean in seconds, and larger retailers see anything put out on shelves gone in minutes.

If it ain't a story about sudden acts of intimidation and threats of violence over them, then it's probably one about scalpers and reselling. Thankfully, no one got hurt (physically) this time as the Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box (ETB), Booster Display Box, and Booster Bundle all sold out during their pre-order sale yesterday, with significant amounts of them going to folks who have no interest in actually using them to play the game.