Pokemon TCG Phantasmal Flames Launch Overrun by Scalping Bots

The first wave of Pokemon Trading Card Game products from the Phantasmal Flames set is now up for pre-order, which reportedly resulted in major retailers being overrun by scalpers. However, some heavily botted orders may now be getting canceled, potentially giving more Pokemon TCG fans a chance to purchase the upcoming offerings.

The Pokemon Company officially revealed Phantasmal Flames on September 2. The second English-language Mega Evolution expansion for Pokemon TCG will introduce more than 120 cards, including 10 Trainer cards and over 15 cards with special illustrations. The first products from the set are scheduled for release on November 14, and became available for pre-order immediately after their official announcement.

Pokemon TCG Scalper Gloats Over 42,000 Checked Out Items

As has long been a tradition, the pre-sale for the new Pokemon TCG expansion attracted countless scalpers, who appear to have overrun some retailers. The owner of one botting service even bragged about checking out “over 42,000” items on September 3. In a widely circulated screenshot of one of their Discord messages, a user nicknamed robyewest said trying to complete a legitimate checkout was impossible during the initial Pokemon Center pre-order period, before virtually all Phantasmal Flames items were marked as out of stock. “Manual users were checking out as well, massive error on their end we just happened to be more alert than most,” they wrote, while adding some gloating expletives.

Pokemon TCG Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box next to Mega Charizard X ex 2x1 composite

Some Pokemon TCG Phantasmal Flames Pre-Orders Are Being Canceled

Soon afterward, reports emerged that The Pokemon Center was canceling some Phantasmal Flames pre-orders. The extent of the move remains unclear, as does the reason for it: the cancellations might stem from botting concerns, but they could also be a result of the retailer overcommitting by realizing it sold products exceeding its planned inventory. Despite this, some resellers appear confident they will still secure substantial stock. According to dozens of listings reviewed by Game Rant, Pokemon TCG Phantasmal Flames set pre-orders are being offered at steep markups on eBay, with $60 Elite Trainer Boxes listed for $200 or more. Based on the origin of many of these listings, Australian scalpers appear to have had the most success using bots to obtain inventory.

Pokemon TCG Phantasmal Flames scalper prices on eBay on September 4 2025

A vocal section of the fandom is pointing to scalpers as the reason they’re losing interest in Pokemon TCG. Apart from making the hobby prohibitively expensive, scalpers have also long prevented products from even reaching the store shelves in some high-demand areas. “I haven’t bought any products, or felt the want for them, since I haven’t seen them at retail stores at all,” wrote Reddit user e-Standards.

Manual users were checking out as well, massive error on their end we just happened to be more alert than most.

While all new Pokemon TCG sets are prone to scalping, Phantasmal Flames features both a Charizard and Gengar, some of the franchise’s most popular characters, making it an especially attractive target for resellers. The Pokemon Company has lately been apologizing for Pokemon TCG shortages and made efforts to keep printing sets for longer. However, with around half a dozen expansions released each year, no set remains in production long enough to meet sustained consumer demand to the point of curbing the scalping market.