The Pokémon Company is addressing a significant stock shortage of its latest Pokémon TCG expansion, Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions. Read on to discover the cause of the shortage and the company's plan to resolve the issue.
Pokémon's Latest Expansion: High Demand Leads to Shortage
Pokémon Company Increases Production to Meet Demand
As reported by IGN on January 16, 2025, The Pokémon Company acknowledges the difficulties some fans are experiencing in purchasing Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions products. A spokesperson stated: "We’re aware that some fans may experience difficulties purchasing certain Pokémon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions products at launch due to high demand impacting availability. We understand this inconvenience can be disappointing for fans, and we are actively working to print more of the impacted Pokémon TCG products as quickly as possible and at maximum capacity to acknowledge this." While fans may need to wait, the Pokémon Company assures increased production is underway.
High Demand Impacts US Local Stores
PokeBeach, a Pokémon TCG fan website, reported on January 4, 2025, that US local stores are facing significant shortages due to unexpectedly high demand. Deguire, owner of Player 1 Services (a major Pokémon store in Maryland), commented that many stores, some not regular Pokémon TCG stockists, placed orders, leading distributors to limit supplies to local retailers by "10% to 15%." This resulted in larger retailers like GameStop and Target receiving a disproportionately large share of the initial stock allocation.
The shortage is also driving up prices on the secondary market. The upcoming Elite Trainer Box, for example, is already selling for $127 USD (retail price: $55). However, once increased stock becomes available, this price inflation is expected to subside.
Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions: 2024 Announcement and Launch Details
Announced on November 1, 2024, and launched on January 17, 2025, Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions features Tera Pokémon ex, new special illustration rare cards, ultra rare Supporter cards, and more. On January 7, 2025, the Pokémon Company revealed the set also includes reprints of popular cards with new artwork, such as Teal Mask Ogerpon ex (illustrated by Yukihiro Tada) and Roaring Moon ex (by Shinji Kanda).
Additional Prismatic Evolutions products, including the Surprise Box and Mini Tin (February 7, 2025), Booster Bundle (March 7, 2025), and Pouch Special Collection (April 25, 2025), are also planned. Fans could also experience the set early via Pokémon TCG Live on January 16, 2025 (iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows).
