Pokemon TCG Cards Are Being Reprinted To Combat Scalpers

The Pokemon Company is taking steps to combat Pokemon Trading Card Game scalpers. In a statement on the official Pokemon support website (as reported by Serebii), the company announced it will reprint high-demand card sets in an effort to increase their availability at retailers:

"We're aware that some of you are experiencing difficulties purchasing certain Pokemon Trading Card Game products due to very high demand and global shipping constraints impacting availability. We understand this inconvenience can be disappointing for fans, and we are working to address it where it is within our control.

"In situations where there is limited availability, we are actively working to print more of the impacted Pokemon TCG products as quickly as possible and at maximum capacity to support this increased demand. Reprinted products are expected to be available at retailers as soon as possible."

The statement goes on to note that the company is also "maximizing production" for upcoming Pokemon TCG expansions "to increase product availability upon release." The card game's next expansion, Shining Fates, is slated to launch on February 19 and adds 190 new cards to the series, more than 100 of which feature Shiny Pokemon.

Thanks in large part to their collectible nature, Pokemon products have frequently been affected by scalping. Earlier this week, McDonald's launched a Pokemon Happy Meal promotion, but that has likewise attracted scalpers, who are buying the cards out from many restaurants and re-selling them.

In other Pokemon news, The Pokemon Company has canceled the 2021 Pokemon World Championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition is now slated to return in 2022 and will be hosted in London. Pokemon Sword and Shield players, meanwhile, can claim a free item bundle for a limited time as a reward for defeating more than 1 million Cramorant during the games' recent Max Raid event. A free Pikachu will also be given out for the games starting February 25.