Pokémon TCG Printing Boost to Address Supply Shortage

High Demand for Pokémon TCG's Prismatic Evolutions Leads to Production Increase

The Pokémon Company is responding to unexpectedly high demand for its latest Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) expansion, Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions, by increasing production. Initial reports of shortages emerged on January 4th, 2025, on the fan website PokeBeach, highlighting difficulties for smaller US retailers in securing stock.

The Pokémon Company acknowledged the issue on January 16th, 2025, stating that they are working at maximum capacity to reprint the impacted products. This follows an initial announcement of the expansion on November 1st, 2024, highlighting features such as Tera Pokémon ex, new illustration rares, and ultra rare Supporter cards. The expansion also includes reprints of popular cards with new artwork.

The unexpectedly high demand has disproportionately affected smaller local stores. According to Deguire, owner of Player 1 Services in Maryland, distributors limited supplies to 10-15% for smaller retailers, while larger chains like GameStop and Target received significantly larger allocations. This has led to price inflation on the secondary market, with products like the Elite Trainer Box already selling for significantly above retail price.

The Prismatic Evolutions set launched on January 17th, 2025, and additional products, including a Surprise Box, Mini Tin, Booster Bundle, and Pouch Special Collection, are scheduled for release throughout 2025. A digital version of the set was also released on January 16th, 2025, on Pokémon TCG Live for various platforms.

While the shortage is currently causing inconvenience for collectors, the Pokémon Company's commitment to increasing production offers reassurance that supply will eventually meet demand. The situation underscores the immense popularity of the Pokémon TCG and the Prismatic Evolutions expansion in particular.