Nintendo President Promises Action Against Pokémon TCG Scalpers

Nintendo’s president has been pulled into the conversation around Pokémon Trading Card Game shortages and scalping, an issue that many collectors say feels more out of control than ever. Even with an eye-popping total of 10 billion cards produced last year, fresh card drops still routinely disappear almost immediately.

New releases are repeatedly sold out as scalpers chase quick profits on marketplaces like eBay, while card inventory has also become a target for theft. Reports describe an increase in store break-ins, including overnight burglaries where Pokémon card shops were hit multiple times. One New York shop was reportedly targeted by armed thieves in broad daylight, leaving employees and customers facing a gunpoint situation.

Other incidents show how far the problem is reaching beyond simple online resale. In May, a Florida man was arrested on suspicion of stealing $12,000 worth of Pokémon cards while reportedly using a battery-powered chainsaw. In April, a Pokémon fan in Pasadena, California, was arrested after hiding inside a closed Best Buy before a card drop.

Quick scan: what Nintendo says it’s doing

• Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa was asked about Pokémon card shortages and scalping at a recent shareholder AGM.
• Nintendo says it is aware of “limited-quantity” cards being bought in bulk and then resold at high prices.
• The Pokémon Company is reportedly using measures such as made-to-order sales and agreements with marketplace operators.
• For certain online priority drawings, an account verification method using Japan’s My Number Cards is planned.

With demand staying extremely high, the question for fans is straightforward: what can Nintendo and The Pokémon Company do so players can buy cards without paying inflated prices—or taking increasingly risky steps to get product?

Furukawa confirms Nintendo knows about the “issue”

The matter has become significant enough that Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, addressed it during a recent shareholder annual general meeting. During that discussion, he said Nintendo is aware of the situation and that it has been discussing appropriate ways to get products into consumers’ hands.

Furukawa explained that, for the Pokémon Trading Card Game run by The Pokémon Company—an equity-method subsidiary of Nintendo—Nintendo has seen cases where limited-quantity cards are purchased in large volumes, which then feeds high-priced reselling in the market. Those remarks were later made publicly available by Nintendo.

He also said The Pokémon Company is already responding with multiple approaches. That includes made-to-order sales and arrangements with online marketplace operators. For online priority drawings tied to certain products, Furukawa said The Pokémon Company intends to use an account verification method that relies on My Number Cards, which are Japan’s official government-issued identification cards.

Furukawa wrapped up by noting that Nintendo coordinates with The Pokémon Company when needed to discuss delivery approaches for consumers. He added that Nintendo expects The Pokémon Company to keep taking steps to address the problem.

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While policy and enforcement help, the supply pressure is massive. The Pokémon Company has also shared strong sales numbers, underscoring how widely Pokémon cards are wanted: as of now, 85 billion cards have been produced in total. For 2025 specifically, 10 billion cards were manufactured—an enormous figure that still isn’t enough to match how quickly demand absorbs product.

Production has increased substantially in recent years to try to keep up. Across the 25-year stretch from October 1996 to March 2022, 43 billion cards were printed, and then nearly the same amount was produced again within just the following four years. With the brand’s attention on its 30th anniversary set arriving in September, there’s little sign the imbalance between supply and demand will ease soon.

Image credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social.