Pokemon Center Dropped Its Exclusive Black Bolt And White Flare ETBs Yesterday, And It Followed A Similar, Frustrating Pattern

Summary

• Pokemon Center's queue system tackles scalpers, but causes issues with collectors.
• New TCG expansion Black Bolt and White Flare generates buzz, but stock scarcity persists.
• Strict bot protections result in mixed success for customers, leading to inflated prices by scalpers.

Over the last few months, the Pokemon Center has been running a queue system when it drops in-demand Pokemon TCG products. Combined with much stricter purchase limits, the company is aiming to crack down on scalpers who have been ruining the hobby for the regular collector.

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The problem is, the queuing system has caused just as many problems as it has solved, with complaints arising every time it is implemented. With the Black Bolt and White Flare Pokemon Center exclusive Elite Trainer Boxes hitting the store yesterday, there was some hope the problem would be fixed. But, lo and behold, collectors ran into the same issues, with scalpers evidently getting their grubby mitts on a percentage of the stock.

Black Bolt And White Flare Pokemon Center Drop Was, Once Again, A Nightmare

The Pokemon Company has really hit its stride with expansions this year. They've been increasingly hard to get hold of, but Prismatic Evolutions, Journey Together, and soon, Destined Rivals have all somehow managed to outdo each other. Black Bolt and White Flare looks set to continue that pattern when it releases in July.

The expansion, which will be split into two for the first time ever in the English version of the TCG, will feature a special art version of every Pokemon from Black and White's Unova, including a new rarity type, BWR.

Naturally, a set this exciting has generated a buzz in the Pokemon community, so when the ETBs hit the Pokemon Center last night, there was a flood, and once again, it capitulated.

My experience this time was much, much smoother than that of the Destined Rivals PC ETB (I'm still bitter I queued for four hours and didn't get one) but there were dozens of reports of people getting to the front of the queue, only to be booted back out, missing out on the products in the process.

I joined the queue late and was over one millionth in line, but I scraped through. However, strict bot protections meant that it wasn't the same for everybody, with multiple people telling me they were flagged.

You can find out your position in the queue by pressing F12, selecting the network tab, then all, clicking one of the growing _Incapsula_Resource tabs under 'Name', and then seeing your queue number under 'Pos:'. This is risky, though, as it can cause the Pokemon Center to think something is up.

One person I spoke to said, "The Pokemon Center has overtuned its bot protection so much that it's now just RNG whether you'll get flagged as one, even if you're legit."

The Pokemon Center has overtuned its bot protection so much that it's now just RNG whether you'll get flagged as one.

While some genuine collectors had success, others were unlucky, with scalpers scooping up stock. Once again, these Elite Trainer Boxes have begun to appear on eBay for triple their RRP. People have been purchasing sets of two for almost £335 ($445).

I don't have all the solutions, but something needs to be done to help those who have been collecting for years.

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