Destined Rivals: Will Scalpers Ruin the Next Big Pokemon TCG Release?

The upcoming significant expansion for the Pokémon Trading Card Game could still bypass legitimate collectors and users, despite the presence of anti-reselling precautions.

As a dedicated collector, I can’t help but get excited about the upcoming release of Destined Rivals, a blend of Japan’s Heat Wave and Glory of Team Rocket sets, hitting stores in the West on May 30th. With its predecessors like Prismatic Evolutions and Journey Together having been quickly snapped up, I have a strong feeling that this set is destined to follow the same path – leaving collectors scrambling to get their hands on it!

In the current bull market, prices for Pokémon Trading Card Game products, both in retail and secondary markets, have reached unprecedented heights in 2025. With Destined Rivals, which is backed by Team Rocket, a collection known for opening wallets widely, leading the charge, it seems that there’s no telling how high these prices could go.

Pokemon TCG shortages continue

Starting from January 16th, The Pokemon Company announced their plans to reprint the popular Prismatic Evolutions series to cater to high demand. To ensure a fair opportunity for many fans, they have implemented a queue system on their official merchandise website, allowing more enthusiasts to purchase booster packs.

Despite the confirmation about a previous issue, it didn’t seem to affect the high prices. In fact, Prismatic Evolution Elite Trainer Boxes are still being sold every day significantly above their recommended retail price.

Prismatic Evolutions has been heavily scalped since release on January 17 and prices remain massively inflated.

I’m really excited about the upcoming pre-orders for Destined Rivals! However, it looks like the queue system and website might struggle to handle the demand. Even without bots or scalpers, it appears that the supply may not be sufficient to meet everyone’s needs.

On Friday, March 21, eager fans flocked to the official Pokémon Center website, fully expecting to place their pre-orders for Destined Rivals. However, due to high demand, they found themselves waiting in line instead.

The sole release was the Prismatic Evolutions Super Premium Collection, which quickly sold out. Given that such an old set created this level of excitement, collectors likely have little chance of obtaining a fresh set with intense hype surrounding it – close to none would be a reasonable guess.

From a positive perspective, terms like “stock shortages” and “scalpers” aren’t relevant in the world of the Pokémon TCG Pocket. As we approach the release of the new set, Shining Revelry, it might be wise to retreat into this realm for a while until things settle down.

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2025-03-22 19:55