Prismatic Evolutions Shortage Prompts Pokemon TCG to Rush to Print More

The Pokémon Company is addressing a significant stock shortage of its latest Pokémon TCG expansion, Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions. Read on to discover the reasons behind the shortage and the company's plan to resolve the issue.

Pokémon TCG's Latest Expansion: High Demand Creates Shortage

The Pokémon Company Responds with Increased Production

As reported by IGN on January 16, 2025, The Pokémon Company acknowledges the difficulties many fans are experiencing in purchasing 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 be patient, the company's commitment to increasing supply is reassuring.

High Demand Impacts Smaller US Retailers Disproportionately

The shortage, initially reported on the Pokémon TCG fan website PokeBeach on January 4, 2025, is particularly impacting smaller US retailers. According to Deguire, owner of Player 1 Services, a major Pokémon store in Maryland, "I think a large part of the issue is that stores who do not normally order Pokémon are requesting to buy this set from distributors." This surge in demand from previously infrequent buyers led distributors to limit supplies to local retailers by 10% to 15%. This resulted in larger chains like GameStop and Target receiving a significantly larger share of the initial stock, leaving smaller stores struggling to meet customer demand.

The scarcity is also driving up prices on the secondary market. The yet-to-be-released Elite Trainer Box, for example, is already selling for $127 USD on secondary markets, significantly above its $55 retail price. However, it's anticipated that increased supply from The Pokémon Company will eventually alleviate this price inflation and curb scalping activities.

Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions: A Highly Anticipated Release

Announced on November 1, 2024, for a January 17, 2025 release, Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions features highly sought-after cards, including Tera Pokémon ex, new special illustration rare cards, and ultra rare Supporter cards. A further announcement on January 7, 2025, highlighted the inclusion of reprints of popular cards with new artwork, such as Teal Mask Ogerpon ex and Roaring Moon ex.

Additional product releases are planned for February 7th (Surprise Box and Mini Tin), March 7th (Booster Bundle), and April 25th (Pouch Special Collection), featuring Eevee and its evolutions as Stellar Tera Pokémon ex. Players could also experience the set early via Pokémon TCG Live on January 16, 2025, for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.