Normally, the announcement of a new Pokemon TCG set like Destined Rivals would be a cause for celebration, but scalpers have once again made it impossible for true fans to enjoy the hobby. With pre-orders going up, fans are already seeing that Destined Rivals cards are selling out, or they’re having to wait in extremely long queues just for a chance to get these cards. This isn’t the first time a new Pokemon TCG set has been plagued by this issue, and it almost always is due to scalpers buying up stock to resell at ridiculously marked-up prices. Fans are tired of this practice, and many are leaving Pokemon TCG altogether.
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Pokemon TCG’s Destined Rivals set is already being bought out by scalpers and it is just one of many sets that have been targeted by resellers. Fans are hopeful that The Pokemon Company will have a restock before the official May 30th release date, but others are giving up on Pokemon TCG instead.
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The Destined Rivals set for Pokemon TCG features numerous cards and a focus on Team Rocket. While fans were excited for Team Rocket’s return in force, they will likely face issues trying to get the set due to scalpers and their practices.
The Pokemon Company has been trying to cut down on scalping with various techniques, one of which being the Pokemon TCG vending machines. These have seen limited success, and the scalping Pokemon card practice remains high.
Some fans are giving up, while others are hopeful that scalping will die down in a few years when the appeal is gone. Pokemon TCG players have pointed out that scalpers typically come in when popularity is high and get out when interest dies down. However, with Pokemon TCG’s popularity among the highest it has ever been, it seems scalpers may be around for a while.
The Pokemon Company offers Pokemon TCG Pocket as an alternative, but while it has the focus of Pokemon TCG, it plays differently and doesn’t have the physical aspect that makes Pokemon TCG such a popular hobby. Still, it is a way for players to connect and play the game they love. The mobile game has caused an increase in Pokemon TCG interest, but this has also seen scalping get worse.
Pokemon TCG’s future remains to be seen, but scalping has certainly made it hard to get into the hobby, at least if you want to get new sets. The Pokemon Company is continuing to battle scalpers, but only time will tell if its practices work and prevent scalpers from being able to buy out new Pokemon TCG sets.
