The Pokemon Company Acknowledges TCG Shortages and Ramps Up Reprints of Destined Rivals and Prismatic Evolutions

If you have spent the last week refreshing retailer pages and coming up empty, you are not imagining it — and now it is official. The Pokemon Company has publicly acknowledged that high demand is making certain Pokemon TCG products hard to find, and says it is printing more "as quickly as possible" and "at maximum capacity." The statement, posted May 26, lands right as Mega Evolution: Chaos Rising fuels another wave of demand.

What the Company Actually Said

In its update, The Pokemon Company confirmed it is aware that some fans are having difficulty purchasing select Pokemon TCG products because demand is outpacing availability. The company said it is actively working to print more of the impacted products at maximum capacity. It is a familiar message — Pokemon has issued availability updates before — but the timing, on the heels of the May 22 Chaos Rising launch, makes it especially relevant for collectors trying to buy right now.

• The acknowledgment: select Pokemon TCG products are hard to buy due to very high demand.
• The response: increased printing, "as quickly as possible" and at "maximum capacity."
• The backdrop: Mega Evolution: Chaos Rising launched May 22, 2026, adding fresh demand to an already-stretched market.

The Reprint Strategy

The supply message connects to a broader 2026 plan: Pokemon has been leaning into reprints to push sealed prices back toward retail. The company has signaled it is targeting some of the most sought-after sealed products from recent hit sets — including Destined Rivals and Prismatic Evolutions — for additional printing. The goal is to take the air out of inflated secondary prices by making product available again rather than letting scarcity do the pricing.

"More print runs are the right medicine for scalper-driven scarcity, but they are slow medicine. Reprints cool the secondary market over months, not days — so patience beats panic-buying."

What It Means If You're Trying to Buy

For collectors, the takeaway is encouraging but requires patience. Reprints and expanded capacity should ease availability over the coming weeks and months, which is good news if you simply want to open packs or complete a set. It is more complicated if you bought recent sealed product as an appreciating asset — additional supply is specifically intended to bring prices down, not up.

How to Navigate the Shortage

• Do not chase scalper prices on a fresh set. If a product is hard to find at launch, expanded printing is the company's stated plan — waiting often wins.
• Separate "to open" from "to hold." If you want to play or collect singles, reprints are your friend. If you are speculating on sealed, factor reprints into the risk.
• Buy from your local shop. Allocations from distributors often reach brick-and-mortar stores even when big-box retail is wiped out online. A good shop relationship is the best hedge against a shortage.

The Bottom Line

The Pokemon Company has confirmed what buyers already knew — demand is outrunning supply — and is responding with more printing and targeted reprints of sets like Destined Rivals and Prismatic Evolutions. For collectors who want to open and play, that is good news on the way. For anyone holding sealed product as an investment, more supply is exactly the variable to keep an eye on.