PokeBeach Podcast: Team Rocket Cards Revealed, What’s Happening with Product Shortages?

Glad to have you back feeling better Justin.

I’ve absolutely got a joltik on my shoulder over being in a digital queue for almost 3 hours this morning - something’s gotta give but this was nice to watch after my frustrations - I think for once I may be on team John with regards to Pokémon card engagement because I have a ton of friends that all know I have been a long time collector and I had a few texting me asking where to get cards (this was when surging was just popping off) and they all got pocket even tho they had abandoned their GO accounts ages ago

Yeah sorry I have to go with Jon on this one, Pocket definitely has played a role in what's going on today. Things started going crazy in November with Surging Sparks, right after Pocket dropped on Halloween. There was a marked increase in TCG collecting when Pokemon Go dropped in 2016 and that game had absolutely nothing to do with the TCG. I don't think an actual TCG-based app can get 10 million downloads in a week after it launches and have no spillover on the physical TCG.

It's not the only aspect contributing to the absolute dumpster fire that has been the Pokemon TCG in 2025, but it's definitely one of them.

I’m on team Justin lol. It’s surging, prismatic, journey, and destined now. All have cards valued in the hundreds of dollars, if not thousands. Four solid sets in a row, that’s what’s causing this. If it was mostly/only pocket they would have fallen off after a month and prismatic would be on store shelves. But nope, just now barely seeing surging sparks boosters on the shelf.

Surging Sparks had 1 (one) highly valued card when it first dropped and Journey Together and Destined Rivals aren't even out yet so it's kind of hard to make any comment about their values.

The latter two are also caught up in the wake of Prismatic and everything else that's been going on since November, and Journey Together being wedged between Prismatic and Destined and having very few actual trainer Pokemon has made it feel like an afterthought if anything.

As I've always said I think Pocket is just a single component of everything happening right now. It is one of many inciting incidents. Pull rates of chase cards going down in 2024 is another factor. TPCi not being able to print to meet demand is another big one. Scalpers, investors, hypebros and shady distributors are all firmly here in full force now and playing a role.

Prismatic caused a much bigger impact than either of the sets around it, but it also came out 3 months after things started nose diving, which coincidentally was right after Pocket launched. So it doesn’t make sense to defiantly write off Pocket as playing no role in a historic and unpredented spike where everyone suddenly has their eyes on the physical TCG overnight. Again, 10 million downloads in a couple days.

Joltik! really glad that the podcast is back! all these reveals have been super cool and it's good that they're reprinting old sets, as it is almost impossible to find these days. Really looking forward to rotation and all the new cards coming out soon! I really like the Cynthias Garchomp and Roserade! Have a good day and keep up the great work!