In an expected turn of events, Pokemon TCG fans have found themselves at the mercy of scalpers for the upcoming set Destined Rivals, despite it not being available for another two months.
The expansion, themed around Giovanni’s villainous Team Rocket, officially hits store shelves on May 30 in North America and Europe. Pre-orders went live on March 24, though thousands have been placed in never-ending queues, still unable to secure anything at RRP.
While X/Twitter is awash with people declaring their relief over managing to secure packs, just as many have voiced their frustration at being unable to access the Pokemon Center website.
Whether any stock will last beyond the first few hours or days remains to be seen but one thing’s not up for discussion, scalpers and resellers have already managed to get their hands on product and are doing what they do best.
Destined Rivals scalpers have already appeared on eBay
Within minutes of pre-orders going live, Destined Rivals booster boxes and Elite Trainer Boxes have appeared on eBay at massively inflated prices.
Some of these listings have already been sold through to customers, with ETBs going for anywhere between $200-300. The RRP of a standard ETB, regardless of the set it belongs to, is $49.99.
Destined Rivals eBay listings went up immediately after pre-orders opened at massively inflated prices.Booster boxes, too, appear in sold listings, fetching upwards of $390 – a colossal mark-up over the approximate $140 RRP.
How long these prices will hold for is anyone’s guess, but considering that Prismatic Evolutions, released back in January 2025, is still going for exorbitant amounts despite Pokemon’s commitment to reprints, it could be some time until the hype reaches sustainable levels.
Sick of never being able to get your hands on physical Pokemon TCG cards? It might be time to make the move to TCG Pocket, although the mobile spinoff isn’t without its own problems right now.
