The Prismatic Frenzy: What Needs to Change.
It’s happening again. Another Friday. Another Pokémon release. This time, it’s Prismatic Evolutions. The hype? Off the charts. The reality? A frenzy that’s leaving kids, collectors, and casual fans empty-handed while scalpers laugh all the way to the bank.
We’ve seen this before. Remember Pokémon 151? That feeding frenzy? Now it’s Prismatic Evolutions with its dazzling Eeveelution cards. The demand is unreal. The supply? Pathetically low. Unreal high demand and low supply means one thing- it’s scalpin’ time.
Don’t get me wrong. I respect the hustle. But they hit every Target. Every Costco. Every Walmart. Carts loaded to the brim. Entire pallets vanish in minutes. The shelves are empty before most people even wake up. These scalpers know the game. They’re flipping sealed product for double, sometimes triple, the price.
Stores let it happen. Why? Sales. Managers care about numbers, not fairness. LGSs (local game stores) aren’t much better. They often sell at market prices instead of MSRP. And why wouldn’t they- it’s rare they actually get an opportunity to come out ahead. But fans feel cheated. Kids cry in the aisles. Collectors give up.
It’s a mess. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
My Advice?
Cut the Plastic: Literally. Have employees cut the shrink-wrap on boxes. Scalpers can’t sell sealed product if it’s not… sealed. Collectors might grumble, but real fans will still buy for the cards. You still sell out, though. Everyone wins.
Enforce Limits: A simple “two per customer” rule changes everything. It’s not hard. Some stores already do this. Why not make it standard? And again, you still sell out.
Lower Prices: If you’re gonna sell for Market prices, do it online. In-store, there’s a happy middle ground where you make more profit but there’s not enough room for scalpers to resell. Fans will remember which stores stick to fair prices. Build loyalty. Don’t burn bridges.
Prize Support: “Sell” hot products as prize support. Do you actually wanna grow your competitive scene? This is a good way to increase the value of your prize support without actually paying more money for it. Create a community.
Stay Patient: This hot sets is getting a full reprint. It might take time, but we’ll be restocked up to your eyeballs before you know it.
How an LGS should handle the Pokémon Card Chaos
It’s not about the cards. Not really. It’s about the people. The ones who show up, week after week, who love this game, who live for it. The ones who make Happy Tiger Gaming more than just a store. They’re the soul of this place. And they deserve better.
If Prismatic Evolutions dropped here, we’d do things differently. Here’s how:
1. Take Care of Our Own
The regulars. The die-hards. The ones who keep the lights on. They’re not just customers. They’re the heart of the store. They’d get first pick. A loyalty system, maybe. Something simple, like reserving stock for those who’ve been with us from the start. Because if anyone deserves that shiny Eeveelution, it’s them—not some scalper looking to cash in.
2. Limit the Hoarding
Just keep it fair—one or two boxes per person. No exceptions. And yes, we’d enforce it. There is literally no downside to this. The product still sells out. The only difference is happier customers.
3. Make It About the Experience
Turn release day into something more. A party. A tournament. A reason to hang out and celebrate the game. Imagine opening packs with friends, trading cards, and competing for prizes. That’s what this is supposed to be about—connection, not chaos.
4. Stay Honest
We’d keep our prices fair. Close to MSRP if sold in store. Or discounts for cut plastic. Incentives. Because trust matters. Customers would know we’re not here to squeeze them for every penny. We’d post updates online—how much stock we have, when it’s dropping, what to expect. No surprises. No games.
5. Reward the Real Fans
The ones who care. Send out early notifications to email subscribers. Limited preorders. Keep them excited and involved. Because they deserve that.
6. Protect the Heart of the Cards
Scalpers don’t care about the game. They don’t care about stores. But the regulars? They do. Every choice we make would be for them—keeping stock fair, hosting events, staying transparent.
An LGS isn’t just a store
For me, it was the only place to make friends. It was a getaway. It was a home away from home. And homes don’t thrive on greed. They thrive on loyalty, community, and trust. That’s how we’d do it. For the fans. For the ones who make this place what it is.
Pokémon, do better.
The Pokémon Company has the power to slow this madness. They need to print more. Way more. They know the demand. They know the scalper problem. The have the capital to triple their printing capacity at any moment. So why aren’t they fixing it?
This is a game meant to bring people together. It’s for kids. It’s for collectors. It’s for fans who actually play. Right now, it feels like it’s for anyone with deep pockets and an eBay account.
It’s time for a change. For stores. For fans. For Pokémon itself.
Because this isn’t just a game. It’s a connection. And the madness is breaking it.
