Pokémon fans line up for 30th anniversary card release

Pokémon enthusiasts across Ohio, like fans nationwide, eagerly sought the new Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG): 30th Celebration collection yesterday, September 16. Many waited in long lines outside major retailers, hoping to secure packs of the highly anticipated cards.

The 30th Celebration collection launched on Wednesday, September 16. Retailers such as Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, and GameStop carried the collection. The official Pokémon Center website, which sells official merchandise and trading cards, sold out completely of the new packs, booster boxes, and bundles.

Photos and videos shared online showed significant queues forming outside Target locations. One video on Instagram depicted empty chairs lined up outside a Best Buy in Florida on Monday, September 14, two days before the release, indicating the high demand. Numerous TikTok videos also captured scenes of massive lines at various Target stores and dozens of people waiting outside Barnes & Noble locations.

The 30th Celebration collection features 30 different cards, each with a Pikachu illustration that includes the number 30 on his cheeks, according to Pokémon's website. It also introduces new illustrations and rare cards, alongside returning fan favorites. Rare cards in this collection with the special Pikachu illustration include Mew ex, Moltres, Kyogre, Groudon, and Ho-Oh. The collection totals 199 cards, with 33 designated as secret rares.

For those who missed out on purchasing the cards online or in person yesterday, Walmart offered another opportunity. Yesterday, September 16, at 5 p.m. ET, Walmart conducted a drawing to randomly select accounts eligible to purchase items from the collection. Fans needed to create a Walmart account with a saved delivery address and payment method. Selected accounts had their orders automatically saved.

The items available through Walmart's drawing included the Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Poster Collection, Tech Sticker, Pokémon ex Box Bundle, and Elite Trainer Box. Despite the official release yesterday, some cards from the collection have already appeared on online marketplaces. One Mew ex card reportedly sold on eBay for $900, excluding shipping and other fees, earlier in September.