Prismatic Evolutions Shortage Prompts Pokemon TCG to Rush to Print More

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 Leads to Shortage

The Pokémon Company Increases Production

As reported by IGN on January 16, 2025, The Pokémon Company is actively working to alleviate the shortage of Prismatic Evolutions.

A Pokémon Company spokesperson stated, "We’re aware that some fans may experience difficulties purchasing certain Pokémon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions products at launch due to high demand impacting availability. We understand this inconvenience can be disappointing for fans, and we are actively working to print more of the impacted Pokémon TCG products as quickly as possible and at maximum capacity to address this."

While fans may need to be patient, the Pokémon Company's commitment to increasing production offers reassurance.

High Demand Impacts US Retail Stores

The shortage was first highlighted on January 4, 2025, by the Pokémon TCG fan website, PokeBeach. The report detailed the impact on smaller US retailers. Deguire, owner of Player 1 Services, a major Pokémon store in Maryland, explained, "I think a large part of the issue is that stores who do not normally order Pokémon are requesting to buy this set from distributors."

This surge in demand led distributors to limit supplies by 10% to 15% for local retailers. This resulted in a disproportionate distribution, with larger retailers like GameStop and Target receiving a larger share of the stock, leaving smaller stores significantly understocked.

The shortage has also driven up prices on the secondary market. The yet-to-be-released Elite Trainer Box, for example, is already selling for $127 USD (retail price: $55). However, it's anticipated that increased supply will eventually stabilize these inflated prices.

Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions: 2024 Announcement and Release

Announced on November 1, 2024, Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions launched on 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 the set also includes reprints of popular cards with new artwork. Examples include Teal Mask Ogerpon ex (illustrated by Yukihiro Tada) and Roaring Moon ex (by Shinji Kanda).

Additional Prismatic Evolutions products, such as the Surprise Box and Mini Tin (featuring Eevee and its evolutions), launched on February 7, 2025. A Booster Bundle and Pouch Special Collection are slated for March 7 and April 25, 2025, respectively.

A digital version of the set was released on January 16, 2025, in Pokémon TCG Live for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows, allowing players to experience the new cards before obtaining physical copies.