English Mega Evolution Set to Release on September 26th, But Expect Prerelease Shortages

[Water Pokémon Master]

TPCi has informed tournament organizers that the first English Mega Evolution set will release on September 26th! We don't know its name yet. Prereleases will take place from September 13th to September 21st.
Our set will be based on Japan's Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia. It releases on August 1st, or two months earlier.

Typically our Q3 set releases in August, but TPCi sometimes pushes it to September if there's a special set releasing beforehand. This allows for more breathing room. In this case, we're getting Black Bolt and White Flare on...

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[Psychic Nature]

At this point I’m concerned the hype peak will have to fade before they will “catch up.”

 

[gemjadem]

so all the product pages on pokemon center that are like “ more inventory of this product will be available later this year” like… is that gonna be december or what? with shortages now confirmed to be lasting through late september at LEAST, they’re kinda running out of months that are “later this year” lol

 

[gemjadem]

At this point I’m concerned the hype peak will have to fade before they will “catch up.”

yeah it’s starting to seem like they don’t want to catch up, not while every product sells out instantly! i mean what incentive do they have to print more at this point lol

 

[Jensoncl]

I wonder which other Megas will be featured in the set(s), since the XY sets usually featured multiple Megas. Maybe Mega Audino and/or Gallade for Mega Symphonia, and Mega Garchomp and/or Scizor for Mega Brave?

 

[Frost]

6-8 months really doing heavy lifting this year

 

[The1&Only.]

I wonder which other Megas will be featured in the set(s), since the XY sets usually featured multiple Megas. Maybe Mega Audino and/or Gallade for Mega Symphonia, and Mega Garchomp and/or Scizor for Mega Brave?

Realistically, those two will probably be the only megas in the set. Maybe 1 or 2 more at most. This is somewhat of a common pattern they do when starting a new era with a new mechanic, they don't introduce too many in the first set (SWSH base had 3 vmaxs, SV base had 2 Tera Pokemon).

 

[MarlinRimes]

Prerelease was the only way I could get my hands on a set but now I might not be able to get any product at all

 

[Tapu Lele]

unless there's a massive influx of new prerelease listings, how can there be "less allocations than usual"? Are they running out of paper?

 

[nikzito2]

that november set is looking nastyyy

 

[tol89]

unless there's a massive influx of new prerelease listings, how can there be "less allocations than usual"? Are they running out of paper?

The printers are not infinite. Pokemon does not have their own printers in the west. They have to book in advance (6 months), so when these printers are clogged with reprints, there is less space for new ones. I guess finding new factories or setting them up is not as easy as people think - especially if they complain about the quality the second they get their reprint.

In Europe they use the same factories as magic for example. So these are not always free and TCG printing is different from regular printing. So they can’t just ask anyone with paper.

 

[DialgaDestroys]

yeah it’s starting to seem like they don’t want to catch up, not while every product sells out instantly! i mean what incentive do they have to print more at this point lol

The incentive is the more they print the more money they make. They could literally print infinite prismatic, destined, and black bolt and it would all be bought out guaranteed so of course they want to push more out when demand is this high

 

[alddente]

Not an enviable situation. I can’t imagine they’ll open another printing facility since hype will EVENTUALLY go down, but right now they just can’t print enough to go around.

 

[trembling_bambi]

Realistically, those two will probably be the only megas in the set. Maybe 1 or 2 more at most. This is somewhat of a common pattern they do when starting a new era with a new mechanic, they don't introduce too many in the first set (SWSH base had 3 vmaxs, SV base had 2 Tera Pokemon).

The mega patch isn't going to last super long with gen10 around the corner and with new megas debuting as well so they might want to amp up the amount they have in each set, but you might also very well be right with them keeping that pattern

 

[Firemaker]

The shortages keep getting worse. I haven't managed to get any Destined Rivals cards yet. It'd be great if they could just halt printing new sets to catch up but I guess that is infeasible.

 

[auras]

Completely stopped with Pokemon TCG thanks to these constant shortages, it's ridiculous. Hobby should be fun, not a constant wild goose chase.

 

[SHIELD's TCG]

Realistically, those two will probably be the only megas in the set. Maybe 1 or 2 more at most. This is somewhat of a common pattern they do when starting a new era with a new mechanic, they don't introduce too many in the first set (SWSH base had 3 vmaxs, SV base had 2 Tera Pokemon).

Agreed
The first dual set of XY introducing mega evolution only featured Mega Venusaur and Mega Blastoise

 

[Mudkipster07]

I have high hopes that Mega Swampert will return...

 

[Alex Hesketh]

Realistically, those two will probably be the only megas in the set. Maybe 1 or 2 more at most. This is somewhat of a common pattern they do when starting a new era with a new mechanic, they don't introduce too many in the first set (SWSH base had 3 vmaxs, SV base had 2 Tera Pokemon).

I do hope they do make half of the ex megas. Like 3 out of 6 for each set when its a double set. 4 out of 8 when it's a single set. I believe that was the case for most SWSH sets (although counting dynamax as well not only gigantamax). Becuase yeah they have a loooot to cover in such a short amount of time so yeah hope they make the most of what they can do

 

[Beckett Castle TCG]

unless there's a massive influx of new prerelease listings, how can there be "less allocations than usual"? Are they running out of paper?

Same amount of product, but more stores requesting more product that usual