Pokémon Vending Machines Removed Amid Ongoing Reseller Issues

Pokémon trading card kiosks were introduced as a convenient alternative to retail stores, where resellers often camp out overnight to snag stock as soon as it hits the shelves. Unfortunately, these vending machines have turned into battlegrounds for fans vying to purchase the sought-after new Pikachu card. Now, it seems The Pokémon Company is starting to reduce the number of these kiosks.

Players have begun receiving notifications from Pokémon’s support team indicating that kiosks are “gradually being removed from select retail locations” to “improve stock consistency, reduce regional shortages, and provide a more reliable experience for all players.”

While the notices don’t suggest that kiosks are disappearing entirely, many fans feel the end is near. These machines were intended to tackle the issues posed by an unstable resale market. Some kiosks implemented strict purchase limits, discouraged loitering, and were designed to release new stock periodically instead of all at once. In theory, these measures could give everyday players a fair chance at acquiring high-demand Pokémon products.

However, this system relies on players adhering to social norms. When certain cards are valued at over $1,000 and boxes can be resold for three to five times their original price, those norms often break down. Even with the rules in place, resellers continued to camp out at the machines. If nearby store security enforced the rules, resellers would simply linger at a distance or find creative ways to hide. Fans frequently shared videos of their experiences at TCG kiosks, where tensions ran high as a few individuals would buy up all the stock. There were even reports of adults stealing from children at these machines, and fights erupted, especially as resellers exploited a glitch that allowed them to bypass kiosk limits.

The notices about the removal of vending machines don’t mention resellers, and The Pokémon Company has not provided any comments on the situation. Most online discussions about Pokémon vending machines have been quite negative, which isn’t ideal for a family-friendly brand. In the weeks leading up to this announcement, several stores with trading card kiosks claimed they were removing them due to safety concerns.

Unfortunately, despite the chaos surrounding them, some fans still depend on these vending machines to obtain Pokémon cards. With resellers treating Pokémon cards like a full-time job, average players will find it even harder to get their hands on cards.

Pokémon card enthusiasts have never encountered a collection like the Jolina Gisèle collection, which boasts an impressive 60,000 rare cards.