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's Latest Expansion: High Demand Creates Shortage
Pokémon Company Increases Production to Meet Demand
As reported by IGN on January 16, 2025, The Pokémon Company is actively working to alleviate the shortage of Prismatic Evolutions.
"We are aware that some fans are experiencing difficulty purchasing Pokémon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions products due to unexpectedly high demand," a Pokémon Company spokesperson stated. "We understand this is frustrating, and we are working at maximum capacity to increase production and get more cards to players as quickly as possible."
While fans may need to be patient, the Pokémon Company's commitment to resolving the supply issue is reassuring.
High Demand Impacts Smaller US Retailers
The shortage was first highlighted on January 4, 2025, by the Pokémon TCG fan website, PokeBeach. The report revealed that smaller US retailers are disproportionately affected by the high demand. Deguire, owner of Player 1 Services, a major Pokémon store in Maryland, commented, "A significant factor is that stores which don't usually order Pokémon products are now requesting this set from distributors."
This surge in orders from previously infrequent buyers led distributors to limit supplies to local retailers by 10-15%. This resulted in smaller stores receiving significantly fewer allocations compared to larger chains like GameStop and Target, who received a larger share to maintain their accounts.
The shortage has also led to inflated prices on the secondary market. The upcoming Elite Trainer Box, for example, is already being sold for $127 USD (retail price: $55). However, it's anticipated that increased supply will likely curb these inflated prices and deter scalping.
Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions: 2024 Announcement and Release
The Pokémon Company announced Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions on November 1, 2024, with a release date of January 17, 2025. The set features Tera Pokémon ex, new special illustration rare cards, ultra rare Supporter cards, and more. On January 7, 2025, the company revealed that 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 (featuring Eevee and its evolutions as Stellar Tera Pokémon ex), launched on February 7, 2025. A Booster Bundle and Pouch Special Collection will follow on March 7 and April 25, 2025, respectively.
A digital version of the set was made available in Pokémon TCG Live on January 16, 2025, for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows devices, allowing players to experience the new cards before the physical release.
