The Pokémon Company has taken swift action to address the stock shortage of the latest Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) expansion, Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions. Dive deeper into the reasons behind the shortage and discover how the TCG plans to resolve it.

Pokémon's Latest Expansion Shortage Due to High Demand

Pokémon Company Reprinting More to Address the Issue

The Pokémon Company is actively tackling the shortage of the Pokémon TCG's newest set, Prismatic Evolutions, as highlighted by IGN on January 16, 2025.

A spokesperson from the Pokémon Company 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 address this."

While fans may need to wait a bit longer to acquire this latest set, it's comforting to know that The Pokémon Company is diligently working to replenish stock to meet demand.

Demand for Pokémon TCG’s Prismatic Evolutions Hurts Local US Stores

The shortage of the Prismatic Evolutions expansion was first reported by the Pokémon TCG fan site, PokeBeach, on January 4, 2025.

Local Pokémon stores in the US are feeling the pinch due to the unexpected surge in demand for this product. Deguire, the owner of Player 1 Services, one of the largest Pokémon stores in Maryland, USA, noted, "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."

With numerous stores placing orders, distributors have had to limit supplies by "10% to 15%" for local retailers. This has resulted in local Pokémon stores facing the brunt of the shortage, as retail allocations were spread thinly "to give the product to as many stores as possible to retain as many accounts as possible," while larger retailers like GameStop and Target received a larger share.

The shortage may also lead to price spikes for certain editions of the Prismatic Evolutions set. For instance, the yet-to-be-released Elite Trainer Box is already being sold on secondary markets for $127 USD, despite its retail price of $55. However, once The Pokémon Company increases the stock of TCG’s newest expansion, scalpers might lower their prices or even stop hoarding Prismatic Evolutions and its various editions.

Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions’ 2024 Announcement

The Pokémon Company announced the latest expansion of Pokémon TCG, Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions, on November 1, 2024, with a launch date set for January 17, 2025. This set introduces Tera Pokémon ex, new special illustration rare cards, ultra rare Supporter cards, and more.

On January 7, 2025, the company further revealed that the set includes "all sorts of exciting new cards along with reprints of popular cards from recent expansions that feature all-new artwork." Notable additions include Teal Mask Ogerpon ex, illustrated by Yukihiro Tada, and Roaring Moon ex by Shinji Kanda.

Pokémon TCG is also set to release other editions of Prismatic Evolutions on February 7, 2025, including the Surprise Box and Mini Tin. These editions feature Eevee and its eight evolutions, "all appearing as a Stellar Tera Pokémon ex." Additionally, two more editions, the Booster Bundle and Pouch Special Collection, are scheduled for release on March 7 and April 25, 2025, respectively.

One day before its official release, fans can experience the set in Pokémon TCG Live on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows devices starting January 16, 2025. For those eager to explore the latest set and update their decks, playing TCG Live first is a great way to get a head start.