Adults Get Into Heated Altercation Over Pokémon Cards

I’m often taken aback by the lengths scalpers will go to for Pokémon cards, but when it turns violent, it really highlights how far some individuals will sink. Recently, a video surfaced showing adults nearly choking each other in front of a Pokémon vending machine, and with no kids in sight trying to buy cards, it’s clear these guys were likely aiming to snag cards for resale.

The footage comes from an Instagram account that shares clips of scalpers hoarding stock and capturing brawls at various retailers. Shot from the perspective of someone wearing what appear to be Meta glasses, the video captures the moment the recorder exits an ACME supermarket and spots three individuals glued to their phones in front of a Pokémon card vending machine. As the person filming approaches to buy a box of Phantasmal Flames cards, one of the others shoves him into shopping carts, prompting a quick scuffle where the recorder grabs the aggressor by the throat.

After a brief standoff, they both back off, with the guy who initiated the shove claiming they had been waiting for an hour. For context, these vending machines are designed to limit stock and release it at timed intervals to combat scalping, meaning those waiting for a “restock” could be hanging around for quite a while. After some back-and-forth banter, the person trying to buy the cards walks away, suggesting the guys who had been waiting finally got their cards, albeit after a rather unconventional Pokémon battle.

The account encourages viewers to weigh in on who was in the right here. Technically, the person filming didn’t throw the first punch, and in a civilized world, he should have been able to purchase Pokémon cards without being shoved. He did press the buttons first, but his reaction to the scalpers suggests he might have been trying to provoke them. Regardless, it’s surprising that someone would post a video of themselves choking another person over Pokémon cards online, even if they weren’t the one who started the physical confrontation.