GameStop Marks Up Pokémon Cards by Up to 400%, Drawing Criticism Over Predatory Pricing

Nintendo Acknowledges the Issue

During a shareholder meeting, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged that the current retail environment has led to high-priced reselling in the market. He stated that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company will take measures to address this issue, including potential agreements with market operators.

GameStop's Pricing Policy

GameStop has applied substantial markups to Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) products. For instance, the Ascended Heroes Booster Bundle, priced at $27 on Pokémon Center, costs $90 at GameStop—a markup of over 200%. The 30th Anniversary Elite Trainer Box, typically $55, is sold for $170, representing more than a 300% increase. The most extreme example is the 30th Anniversary Ultra-Premium Collection at $600, compared to a similar Mega Charizard set that cost $120 from Pokémon Center, a 400% markup.

Hidden Prices and Increases

GameStop does not list prices online or in-store initially, allowing for unannounced increases. Early pre-orders for the 30th Anniversary Elite Trainer Box were $130, later raised to $170. Customers are required to pay 50% upfront for pre-orders.

Broader Market Challenges

Purchasing Pokémon cards remains difficult due to quick sellouts, online bots, in-store fights, and scalped vending machines. Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are working on solutions such as account verification, made-to-order sales, and a new 1.27 million-square-foot facility in North Carolina set to open in 2027.

Conclusion

While some price increases may be understandable, GameStop's aggressive markups have crossed reasonable limits, making it hard for collectors to buy cards at fair prices.