Pokémon Center’s Latest 30th Anniversary TCG Release Disappoints Fans

On Thursday, the Pokémon restock Discord servers were alive with chatter about a potential drop of the highly anticipated 30th Anniversary Ultra Premium Collection from The Pokémon Center. While the buzz was real, the actual drop turned out to be quite different from what fans were hoping for.

If you’re up for waiting in a long queue for hours, you could snag one (1) 30th Anniversary mini tin. These tins are charming, featuring appealing artwork and stickers, but they only include two packs each.

The suggested retail price for this drop is $9.99, which is a bargain compared to prices at major retailers or local card shops. However, is it really worth spending eight hours staring at Psyduck just to get two packs?

The silver lining is that there are multiple types of tins available. With eight different designs, you could potentially grab up to 16 packs. Still, even in that best-case scenario, this drop feels underwhelming. Why is TPC releasing tins that are already available elsewhere instead of offering pre-orders for the UPC, which is set to launch in a couple of weeks?

Moreover, each individual listing adds another chance for users to get flagged and possibly banned from the site. TPC’s anti-bot measures are strict, but they don’t always catch the resellers they aim for. Having multiple listings for essentially the same product also means users have to spend more time checking out. As seasoned collectors know, successfully adding even a single item to a TPC cart during a live drop can be a real challenge. Those trying to grab everything are more likely to face errors or, even worse, see items sell out before they can complete their purchase.

If you’re still keen on getting the 30th Anniversary items at decent prices, here are the available tins:

Pokémon Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Boxes and mini tins are currently being sold for less than the suggested retail price.