The Pokémon Company announces limits on 30th Celebrations expansion
Following a previous announcement, The Pokémon Company Japan is imposing strict limits on 30th Celebration products ahead of release.
If you’re a fan of Japanese Pokémon cards like me, getting hold of Pokémon’s 30th Celebration products just became much harder. While stock shortages are almost inevitable, The Pokémon Company Japan is now requiring government-issued identification for purchases, creating another hurdle for collectors outside the country.
This isn’t some random announcement. Last month, The Pokémon Company in Japan shared the news that Pokémon Center purchases would require a “My Number Card”, Japan’s form of government identification. This is a huge change in how the company sells Pokémon TCG products, and a welcome rule that should allow more collectors to buy cards.
I had a feeling that it would be related to the upcoming Pokémon 30th Celebration set, but it wasn’t clear at the announcement. However, as of Monday, June 8, The Pokémon Company has confirmed that the measure is being used for the launch of Pokémon 30th Celebration, with the aim of getting products into the hands of more collectors.
Revealed on The Pokémon Company Japan’s official website, a list of 30th Celebration products are being locked behind the government ID requirement. This includes the Premium Deck Set with the Umbreon promo I shared yesterday. The full list, as revealed by The Pokémon Company, includes:
- Pokémon 30th Celebration Premium Deck Set
- Pokémon 30th Celebration Futuristic Box
- Pokemon 30th Celebration Box
- Pokémon 30th Celebration (9 type set)
- Pokémon 30th Celebration Card Set
Even with a “My Number Card”, there will still be a lottery system. That means even if you’re lucky enough to be a Japanese citizen, you’ll still need luck to get the line of products from the Pokémon Center.
Even though it is disappointing, as I prefer Japanese cards over English, I actually like this system. Allowing more collectors to get their hands on cards can only be a good thing, especially with how popular the 30th Celebration expansion will be. If only the English Pokémon Center had the same limitations.
As the 30th Anniversary continues, make sure to sign up to the Kanto Post newsletter above to be kept in the loop of all things in the Pokémon TCG.
