McDonald's Japan is teasing another round of Pokemon cards, and collectors are already getting nervous! According to Wargamer, the chain's official X account posted a string of four emojis this week: a seedling, a flame, water droplets, and a lightning bolt.
Fans immediately read those as the three starter types plus Pikachu, and took the post as a strong hint that a new batch of Pokemon TCG cards is headed for Happy Meals in Japan.
The replies filled up fast with worries about availability and scalpers cleaning out the fast food chain. That fear didn't come out of nowhere. Last year's Japan-exclusive promotion, the one built around a card of Pikachu eating a burger, generated so many long lines and so much online reselling that McDonald's Japan capped orders at three Happy Meal sets per group.
The 2021 Happy Meal Frenzy
We've been down this road in the US, too. Back in 2021, McDonald's celebrated Pokemon's 25th anniversary by packing exclusive promo cards into Happy Meals, and adults started buying meals in bulk just to strip out the card packs. Dot Esports reported that scalpers were hurting availability almost immediately, with sealed boxes getting flipped online for hundreds of dollars while some restaurants ran dry.
McDonald's ended up issuing a statement, covered by Game Rant at the time, saying it was working to address the shortages and strongly encouraging restaurants to set reasonable limits on Happy Meal purchases.
If bulk-buying chicken nuggets for cardboard sounds tame, the past week delivered a reminder of just how far this mania can go. PC Gamer reports that brothers Keith Johnson, 33, and Shane Johnson, 37, have pleaded guilty to stealing more than £71,000 (roughly $95,000) worth of Pokemon cards in a string of burglaries targeting small card shops in the UK.
The pair smashed their way into Celestial Collectables in Warrington and made off with £62,000 in cards while causing more than £3,000 in damage, then hit The Graded Gallery in Rugby, where the stolen stock and damage topped £9,000.
The getaway didn't hold up. Police traced the white Ford Transit van used in the burglaries back to the brothers' address, where a search turned up stolen property. "The overwhelming evidence collected through our extensive enquiries put them at both crime scenes," said Detective Constable Hannah Smith. Keith Johnson has been sentenced to 29 months in prison, while his brother will learn his fate at Birmingham Crown Court on July 31st.
Retail isn't helping cool things down, either. Last week, we broke down GameStop listing Pokemon TCG: 30th Celebration products at up to three times MSRP, including a $600 price tag on the $179.99 Ultra-Premium Collection and $49.99 Elite Trainer Boxes marked up to $130. As of this writing, neither GameStop nor The Pokemon Company has publicly commented on those prices.
What Should Collectors Expect?
All of this is building toward one date. Pokemon TCG: 30th Celebration launches worldwide on September 16th, the first simultaneous global release in the game's history, and it's a big one: every card in the set is foil, and every single booster pack includes one of 30 different Pikachu illustrations.
You can check out our full breakdown of the set right here. Between a landmark set, a probable new McDonald's promo, and retailers testing just how much fans will pay, demand for Pokemon cards looks to be at an all-time high heading into the fall.
There's some good news buried in all of this! When the US McDonald's promo ran earlier this year, Wargamer pointed out that the chain has more than 13,000 US locations, so duplicates flooded the market within weeks and scalper prices collapsed. Patience paid off then, and it should pay off again. Expect purchase limits and day-one lines. The safest play will be official channels at MSRP, rather than an eBay markup in week one.
Are you excited to see McDonald's and Pokemon team up again? Do you think the promo makes it to the US before the anniversary set lands? Will you be lining up for Happy Meals if it does? I know I could use a Big Mac, nuggets and some spicy mustard sauce myself! This may be just the excuse to stop by for a few lunches…
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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