Gaming

Pokemon TCG Fans Shocked to See Full Shelves in Massive Card Restock

Pokemon TCG fans are amazed with the scale of this latest card restock. 

Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Restocks

Since the release of Scarlet & Violet – Prismatic Evolutions early this year, Pokemon TCG cards have been basically impossible to find. Even older sets from the Scarlet & Violet era have vanished from shelves, leaving empty space where cards once were. At this point, it’s more surprising to actually see stock in the Pokemon TCG section, as proved by fans’ reactions to a massive restock at some local retailers today. Collectors are showing off photos of fully stocked shelves of Pokemon TCG boosters and boxes at some local Walmart locations. These full shelves likely won’t last, but for many exhausted fans, it’s a sight for sore eyes.

Videos by ComicBook.com

While the shelves are mostly filled with older sets, some lucky shoppers have discovered Scarlet & Violet – 151 and even the rare Prismatic Evolutions sets among the restocked items. This info comes via a slew of new posts in the r/PokemonTCG subreddit, where players go to share their frustrations and wins with collecting Pokemon cards in these tense times. It appears that the massive restocks are primarily arriving in Walmart stores, though not all shoppers are sharing the intel behind where they found their latest hauls. Given the likelihood that scalpers will rush to revealed locations, this caution makes sense.

The latest restocks feature a wide variety of Scarlet & Violet items from the Pokemon TCG. Some older sets appear to have made it into the mix as well, with mini tins featuring 2020’s Vivid Voltage and 2021’s Chilling Reign. Basically, it looks like the full shelves come from Walmart ordering everything Pokemon TCG they could get their hands on, then stocking it all at once. Honestly, even if it’s not a full stock of Prismatic Evolutions, it feels good to see Pokemon cards on the shelves again.

Walmart Pokemon Card Restock Likely Won’t Last Long

Despite the excitement of seeing restocks, many fans are pessimistic that even this massive influx of cards will last. Some collectors have already checked other retailers like Target, only to confirm that the shelves there are still empty. As many Pokemon TCG fans post their hauls, others are frustrated to see just how many packs individual customers have snagged. It looks like Walmart is the latest retailer to make the mistake of not posting limits, so people are grabbing carts full of the newly restocked cards. Whether or not they intend to sell, those who aren’t able to drop everything and run to Walmart the moment they learn of the restocks wish others would leave more stock on the shelves.

For now, it looks like Walmart is the primary location with today’s Pokemon TCG restock. Some posts report finding some Sword & Shield era cards at other locations, like Walgreens, but by and large most reports of full shelves come from Walmart locations. Given the sheer volume, along with the fact that not every restocked item is new or rare, this might be the best chance of buying Pokemon cards in person that fans have had in months. With presales for the new Super Collection for Scarlet & Violet – Prismatic Evolutions going exactly how you’d expect, this is welcome news for fans who just want that feeling of opening IRL packs again.

Will you be headed to your local Walmart to check for Pokemon card restocks? Let us know if you get lucky and manage to snag some packs!