While the Pokemon Center's new bot protections have helped some lucky buyers of Pokemon Trading Card Game products, many of the stock issues continue to persist. For the entirety of 2025, and the back half of 2024, it's been nigh on impossible to nab the Pokemon TCG's latest sets, with bots and scalpers scooping up as much of the stock as they can get their mits on, then reselling them on resale sites for extortionate prices.

Excuse my concerns then, now that The Pokemon Company has just officially revealed its next expansion will be focused on Mega Charizard and Mega Gengar (plus Mega Heracross, the Mega Evolution of my favorite Pokemon). It's prime fodder for those looking to make a quick buck off desperate Pokemon fans, especially with the products that have been revealed, like the Mega Charizard X Ultra Premium Collection.

Pokemon Trading Card Game Phantasmal Flames Expansion Officially Revealed

Unlike Black Bolt and White Flare, Phantasmal Flames will be a regular Pokemon expansion, meaning it will have Booster Boxes, alongside the usual Elite Trainer Boxes and other products. This time, the ETB will be emblazoned with a Mega Charizard, and the packs will contain Mega Charizard, Mega Gengar, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Heracross.

Alongside the usual offering will be a Mega Charizard X Ultra Premium Collection, which we know will be a nightmare to get hold of. It looks much like the Elite Trainer Box, but will contain 18 Booster Packs, a Mega Charizard Ex promo, and an Oricorio ex promo, plus a bunch of other goodies. We're already dreading it.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game's Phantasmal Flames Will Be A Scalper's Dream

We're at the point now where scalping is a major problem in the Pokemon TCG. Driven predominantly by crypto investors and 'sneaker bros', products are becoming increasingly scarce because these groups know they can make a quick profit. As time has passed, more of these people have become aware of the situation and have become involved, making it harder to purchase with each passing set. Phantasmal Flames feels like a scary tipping point.

Much like Prismatic Evolutions and its faux Moonbreon, Phantasmal Flames is a set with tons of potentially expensive, highly collectible cards. It focuses on what is arguably the Pokemon series' most popular gimmick, Mega Evolutions, and it features two of its most popular Pokemon, Gengar and Charizard. It means that collectors are going to be desperate to get their hands on some packs, and scalpers are going to exploit this.

It doesn't help that one of the most valuable modern cards features Gengar, the Gengar VMAX from Fusion Strike, and we all know how expensive Charizard cards can get.

Here's hoping that Pokemon's bot protection is locked in, and we can all get everything we want.

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Pokemon TCG

Franchise Pokemon Original Release Date October 20, 1996 Player Count 2 Age Recommendation 6+ Length per Game Variable Franchise Name Pokemon Expand Collapse