The big day is here, as Pokemon TCG pre-orders for the Mega Evolutions expansion kick off. However, those hoping to get a Pokemon Center ETB or score a Booster Box of cards may be out of luck, as the digital queue lines have already rolled out the virtual door, leaving players stuck indefinitely.
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One of the biggest struggles plaguing Pokemon TCG players and collectors in 2025 is availability. From launch day releases and in-store stock to online pre-orders, getting hold of any new expansion feels almost impossible.
To help manage crashing servers and reseller bot raids on The Pokemon Center website, a virtual queue has been put in place. This line requires authentication, but the system doesn’t show how many people are in it or how long the wait could be. Because of this, fans often sit for hours as things sell out. Unfortunately, this looks to be the case for the Mega Evolution expansion pre-orders.
Players Wait Hours in Pokemon Center Queue
According to a post shared by the PokemonDealsTCG account, the queue went live just before 11 AM MST. Players rushed to jump in, and most ended up locked in the pre-order line with no end in sight.
Lucky players in the comments shared their successes, with several sharing receipts for Pokemon Center ETBS, Booster Boxes, and Booster Bundles. The Pokemon Center ETBs are typically the most coveted due to their special box designs, additional booster packs, and other goodies. Once sold out, they do not typically restock, making them a unique run for each expansion set.
Currently, the products on the Pokemon Center Store have not sold out. They include a Booster Box of 36 packs for $161.64, a Mega Gardevoir ex ETB and Mega Lucario ex ETB for $59.99 each, and a 6-pack Booster Bundle for $26.94.
It is unlikely that the stock for these will last the day, and with many other shops like GameStop no longer taking pre-orders, this will be the only way for many players to guarantee a box for release day.
Many players in the comments of the post announcing the pre-order queue have vocalized frustration in having to wait for the chance to even access the website. For many, waiting hours just to see if something is still in stock isn’t reasonable. However, with the high likelihood that stores will be swarmed by resellers on launch day, preventing physical access to standard ETBs or other products, this could be the only opportunity to ensure a copy is available.
Additionally, fans have been getting bumped off the website due to an error that states the website is under “maintenance,” and then they are moved to the back of the online queue. This happened to us while attempting to access the website to confirm available items.

While it is likely the sets will get restocked down the line, the current shortages and Pokemon TCG hype have been ongoing for months. This could mean that even restocks of older sets could be difficult to obtain.
The Mega Evolution expansion is set to be one of the most exciting for Scarlet & Violet‘s era of the TCG. With Legends: Z-A just around the corner, this is the perfect time to start building excitement for Megas. With Mega Lucario and Mega Gardevoir acting as the spotlight Pokemon for the set, it is sure to be amazing. Hopefully, those wanting to pre-order will be able to get through the queue and snag an ETB before they are gone.