You would think that The Pokémon Company and GameStop would know that turning something that could easily have been distributed digitally into a physical item, only obtainable in stores, would attract the Mandibuzz-like vultures who circle the franchise looking for a way to scalp its merch to make a quick buck. That’s exactly what’s happened with a partnership to give out free codes for rare Shiny Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet, as scalpers have found a way to ruin something else for everyone.
Here’s what was supposed to happen: from September 26 to October 15, fans who visit GameStops or EB Games locations would be able to get a code to receive either a Shiny Koraidon or Miraidon, the legendary Pokémon that grace Scarlet and Violet‘s covers. These alternate-colored variants have never been available before, so if you’re the kind of collector who wants every Shiny, this is a pretty big deal. No purchase was required to get one of these codes; all you had to do was show up at participating locations. However, many fans are reporting that their local stores are running out of codes weeks before the promotion ends next month, and some locations say they won’t be getting more. Some customers report that stores still have codes but have been giving them out only as a promotional item alongside other purchases, despite the official word on Pokémon’s website saying no purchase is necessary.
Sometimes these events are digital, meaning that you could download an event Pokémon in a store or through the game itself and go on your merry way. But when they involve a physical card with a code on it, supplies actually are limited, and when something is limited, a scalper is waiting just around the corner to swoop in. This also happened the same day as a new Trading Card Game set drop, so these people smelled blood in the water, and not only got the codes, but have started listing them for sale on places like eBay. Some of the prices are fairly cheap at less than $10, while other sellers are getting bold and asking for much more. Even if the price is cheap, these codes are supposed to be free, so even a dollar is a profit for scalpers.
As some commentators have pointed out, Pokémon loves brand synergy, which is why every facet of its business releases new products around the same time. The games come out, new TCG sets come out alongside it, and more plushes of new critters show up on the Pokémon Center website, so it makes sense that it would offer these rare Pokémon on the same day people are showing up to game shops to buy the new TCG sets. That said, adding scarcity to a digital good just emboldens some of the worst people to keep taking advantage of other fans. Hopefully, these stores get more codes between now and when the promotion ends in October, because only sending enough for one weekend sounds like poor planning on everyone’s part.
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