Pokémon Go Prismatic Evolutions Collab Has Players Fearing Scalpers

Image via Niantic

Pokémon Go is running a new promotion that crosses over with the new Pokémon TCG set, Prismatic Evolutions, and it is already being met with skepticism. 

Starting in February, Niantic is launching a Pokémon Go promotion with specific retailers in the United States, Canada, and Australia that will “commemorate’ the release of the Prismatic Evolutions Pokémon TCG set. And, despite the name, this has nothing to do with the actual physical cards and has Pokémon Go players more concerned than excited. 

What is the Pokémon Go Prismatic Evolutions TCG Celebration? Dates, Stores, and Rewards

Running from Feb. 1 to 27, select retail locations will run a promotion in Pokémon Go to celebrate the launch of the Prismatic Evolutions TCG set. This will entirely be centered on Pokémon Go and has very little to do with the physical TCG products.

According to Niantic, this celebration means sponsored PokéStops will be appearing at these retailers that have Glacial or Mossy Lure Modules already active. This will attract more Pokémon and allow players to evolve their Eevee into Glaceon or Leafeon depending on the Lure, along with giving players Gifts with exclusive Postcards. 

There is no note about specific Pokémon spawning more frequently with the Lure Modules, which likely means there are no additional event effects and the Pokémon that you encounter at these locations will not be special.

Related Article: How to Get McDonald's Pokémon TCG Pocket Bonus Rewards

Here is the full list of participating retailers listed by Niantic for this event: 

  • United States - Best Buy, GameStop, and Target
  • Canada - GameStop and Toys“R”Us
  • Australia - EB Games

Another reason for this promotion is that many of these retailers now offer Pokémon Go gift cards for PokéGold in-store or online. 

Player Reactions to Pokémon Go Prismatic Evolutions TCG Celebration

Right when this promotion event was announced, the main concern from Pokémon fans is that there is no real benefit or rewards involving the Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions set. 

Outside of potential easy access to two of Eevee’s eight evolutions via the sponsored PokéStops, there is nothing tying the “event” and the TCG product together. In fact, Pokémon TCG fans are actively calling out how this is very poor timing by The Pokémon Company and Niantic because Prismatic Evolutions is currently extremely hard to find at stores and is being heavily scalped online. 

The issues are so bad that TPC issued an official statement about reprinting products before the set even hit store shelves, and the response to this promotion is almost entirely pointing that out.

“If only the lure worked to attract Prismatic Evolutions. Scalped from every retailer in the world and half being sold for 3-4X on the internet,” Reddit user DragonFangDan said. “Hope this is what they were hoping to bring to light??”

There is also the big notice that this is only available in three countries, leaving every other Pokémon Go player in the dust—even if they mostly just noted that they would rather have more ways to “get actual cards.”

“Sure, it's just a small event. I can't help but be disappointed when other countries get small and big events all the time while my country and most other countries in Eastern Europe have got like... less than 10 events over the game's entire lifespan...?” Reddit user dlrax said.

This is not the first time Pokémon Go has put sponsored PokéStops at specific locations or done a TCG collab. It is, however, the first time both have happened at the same time and had players questioning if scalpers will take the Lure Modules.

Niantic has also teased other “promotions and announcements from participating retailers on and around Pokémon Day 2025.” Instead of waiting for that, you can check out the new Pokémon TCG Pocket expansion, Time-Space Smackdown.


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