Pokémon Company Plans to Utilize Facial Recognition for Card Sales

The chaos surrounding the Pokémon trading card game shows no signs of slowing down, with individual boxed products fetching hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on the resale market. This lucrative hobby has led to fans camping outside stores for days ahead of new releases, and trading card thefts have become a regular occurrence. For a family-friendly brand like Pokémon, this situation poses a significant public relations challenge. In response, the creators of the Pokémon TCG are implementing stricter measures to deter resellers.

Earlier this year, Pokémon began requiring customers in Japan to show government-issued identification when purchasing trading cards at official retailers. While this policy is currently limited to Japan, it appears to be a long-term strategy rather than a temporary fix.

Recently, Pokémon announced that five pop-up shops in Japan will start using facial recognition technology for customers aged elementary school and older. This system aims to prevent customers from making multiple purchases by denying entry to anyone attempting to circumvent the rules. According to the announcement, if the system detects any rule-breaking attempts, “entry will be denied to that person based on the system’s judgment.” This new approach will be in place for the Japanese launch of the Rayquaza-themed Storm Emeralda set, which will also be available on Pokémon TCG Pocket.

Customers who opt out of this surveillance will not be permitted to enter the stores. While fans can leave and reenter for reasons like using the restroom, they must inform store staff first. Younger children can still enter, but only if accompanied by a guardian. The facial data collected will be deleted “after a certain period of time.”

Pokémon’s broader privacy policy indicates that the company can gather various types of data beyond facial recognition, including photographs, audio recordings, email addresses, and more. This information is utilized for various purposes, from processing payments to conducting market research. While this data could potentially aid in combating scalpers, the policy does not explicitly mention that as a goal.

These initiatives aim not only to enhance the customer experience but also to uphold what the company refers to as “safety management.” In March, a Pokémon Center store was closed following a tragic incident where an employee was killed by an alleged stalker. The Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo is set to reopen in August, as announced by the company.

Currently, there are no plans to test facial recognition or ID requirements outside of Japan, but some fans might support such measures. The prices of cards in the United States have skyrocketed, leading to a surge in violent incidents related to their high value.