Pokémon's lucrative trading card market has taken a dark turn in recent years. The franchise that was once a childhood staple for millions of fans worldwide has become a speculative stock market, with adults snatching up every available card to resell at exorbitant prices.
The market's volatility has led to an almost impossible situation for kids who want to collect or play the game associated with the cards. New sets are being released while already having their value skyrocket due to an insane rise in reselling and scalping. The latest set, Phantasmal Flames, had a rare special illustration Charizard that was valued at over £600 before anyone even found one.
In online stores like Amazon, customers can only request to buy Pokémon cards after being entered into an opaque raffle for the chance to purchase them. In the real world, resellers queue for hours outside shops, hover around shelves as they're restocked, and buy up every item before anyone else has a chance – all in anticipation of selling the boxes for massive profits.
The situation has become so dire that some shop owners have reported having customers threaten violence if they don't meet their demands. "My staff have had customers threatening to come back and rip our heads off," says Ben Thyer, owner of BathTCG. "It's become quite unpleasant at times."
The issue is partly attributed to the influence of YouTubers and TikTok influencers who record themselves opening packs, exaggerating reactions when they find a high-value card, and listing their contents for maximum profit. This has created an environment where only rare cards matter – not collecting or playing for fun.
App users such as Collectr are now tracking their card portfolios for price rises and falls in the volatile market, while devious practices like selling fake cards or opening and resealing packs after swapping out rare cards have also emerged.
The added layer of the card-grading industry further exacerbates the issue. Cards can be sent to independent organizations that rate and seal them to potentially increase their value, depending on the grade they receive. Card shows are now a staple in many countries, where hobbyists trade valuable cards worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Despite The Pokémon Company printing 10.2 billion cards in the year leading up to March 2025, they struggle to meet demand. They have acknowledged that they're actively working to print more impacted products as quickly and at maximum capacity.
However, signs of the market correcting itself are starting to emerge. Prices for singles are dropping, sealed products are becoming available again, and people are no longer getting as aggressive in their pursuit of rare cards. While prices may dip again before the Pokémon 30th-anniversary celebration next year, shop owners like Thyer will continue to prioritize reasonable prices for their customers over profit maximization.
The market's volatility has led to an almost impossible situation for kids who want to collect or play the game associated with the cards. New sets are being released while already having their value skyrocket due to an insane rise in reselling and scalping. The latest set, Phantasmal Flames, had a rare special illustration Charizard that was valued at over £600 before anyone even found one.
In online stores like Amazon, customers can only request to buy Pokémon cards after being entered into an opaque raffle for the chance to purchase them. In the real world, resellers queue for hours outside shops, hover around shelves as they're restocked, and buy up every item before anyone else has a chance – all in anticipation of selling the boxes for massive profits.
The situation has become so dire that some shop owners have reported having customers threaten violence if they don't meet their demands. "My staff have had customers threatening to come back and rip our heads off," says Ben Thyer, owner of BathTCG. "It's become quite unpleasant at times."
The issue is partly attributed to the influence of YouTubers and TikTok influencers who record themselves opening packs, exaggerating reactions when they find a high-value card, and listing their contents for maximum profit. This has created an environment where only rare cards matter – not collecting or playing for fun.
App users such as Collectr are now tracking their card portfolios for price rises and falls in the volatile market, while devious practices like selling fake cards or opening and resealing packs after swapping out rare cards have also emerged.
The added layer of the card-grading industry further exacerbates the issue. Cards can be sent to independent organizations that rate and seal them to potentially increase their value, depending on the grade they receive. Card shows are now a staple in many countries, where hobbyists trade valuable cards worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Despite The Pokémon Company printing 10.2 billion cards in the year leading up to March 2025, they struggle to meet demand. They have acknowledged that they're actively working to print more impacted products as quickly and at maximum capacity.
However, signs of the market correcting itself are starting to emerge. Prices for singles are dropping, sealed products are becoming available again, and people are no longer getting as aggressive in their pursuit of rare cards. While prices may dip again before the Pokémon 30th-anniversary celebration next year, shop owners like Thyer will continue to prioritize reasonable prices for their customers over profit maximization.
its not even fun for kids anymore to collect or play with these cards, they're basically fighting for scraps 
️ and resellers are getting so aggressive it's like something out of a movie 
i saw vids of people lining up outside stores for hours just to get their hands on some rare cards, its wild 
like, can't they just enjoy playin' the game without tryna resell it 4 max profits? 
some ppl r even threatenin violence cuz they don't wanna pay that high price lol what's wrong with these ppl? 
ben thyer, ugh, dey had customers threatening to hurt ur staff? that's just nasty 
maybe dey'll be able 2 keep up w/ demand & make it easier 4 ppl 2 buy/collect cards without breakin da bank 
cant we all just be chill & enjoy pokemon 4 fun? 
. I used to think Pokémon was all about having fun with friends and family, but now it's just become a super expensive game for kids who want to play. The fact that adults are buying up all the cards to resell them is just ridiculous 
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. I'm glad some shop owners are speaking out and saying they'll prioritize reasonable prices over profit, though 
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! It's like they've turned the whole thing into some kinda sick game where only the most desperate people get left behind 
. I'm all for people making money, but not at the expense of ruining the hobby for others 
. It's like The Pokémon Company has lost control of their own franchise 
and now shop owners are having to deal with threats and violence over it? that's just messed up 
the pkmn trading card thingy has gotten outta control 
those guys are basically creating this monster market, exaggerating reactions and making people think rare cards are worth way more than they actually are. it's like they're fueling the fire that's driving up prices. I don't know what to make of all this... it feels like we've lost sight of why Pokémon was ever cool in the first place: for kids to have fun playing and collecting, not just adults trying to flip cards for cash.
! I mean, come on, grown adults acting like kids when they can't get their hands on a rare Charizard? It's just not cool, fam 
. And don't even get me started on the fake cards and scalpers - that's just shady business 
I mean, can you believe this? Pokémon's trading card market is like a bad joke! Adults are snatching up cards just to resell them and make bank... meanwhile, kids who actually played the game back in the day can't even get their hands on a pack without throwing a fit. 
And don't even get me started on these online raffles – it's like they're playing a digital game of musical chairs... except instead of chairs, it's rare Pokémon cards! 
. I mean, I get it, some people love making money, but come on! It's a game meant for kids, not grown adults trying to scalp them online 
. Like, can't we all just chill and enjoy the game like normal people? 
. Maybe it's time for The Pokémon Company to take a closer look at what's going on in their brand and find a way to balance profitability with fan experience 
it's like the entire market is just one big hype train that's going to crash eventually, maybe the company should limit production or something?
how can a game that was meant to bring kids joy turn into a super competitive mess? i feel bad for all the kids who just want to collect and play with their fave cards but can't even get their hands on them 
it's so sad because Pokémon was supposed 2 b a game 4 kids not just a cash cow 
what's wrong with ppl? can't they just enjoy the game like normal? 
maybe we'll see a more balanced market soon? I hope so 'cause if they don't crack down on scalpers and resellers, the whole thing is gonna get even out of hand 