The initial wave of Pokemon Trading Card Game products from the Phantasmal Flames collection has officially opened for pre-order, creating an overwhelming response that reportedly led to major retailers being flooded by automated purchasing bots. However, recent developments indicate that numerous botted orders are now being canceled, potentially opening up new opportunities for genuine Pokemon TCG enthusiasts to acquire the upcoming release.

The Pokemon Company officially unveiled Phantasmal Flames on September 2nd. This marks the second English-language Mega Evolution expansion for the Pokemon TCG, introducing more than 120 new cards that include 10 Trainer cards and over 15 specially illustrated cards. The first products from this collection are set for official release on November 14th, with pre-orders becoming available immediately following the official announcement.

Following established patterns, the pre-sale period for the new Pokemon TCG expansion attracted significant scalper attention, with automated systems reportedly overwhelming several major retailers. One botting service operator notably boasted about successfully processing "over 42,000" items on September 3rd. In a widely shared screenshot from their Discord communications, a user identified as robyewest claimed that legitimate checkout attempts became virtually impossible during the initial Pokemon Center pre-order window, before nearly all Phantasmal Flames products were listed as out of stock.

Shortly after the initial pre-order surge, reports began circulating that The Pokemon Center was canceling certain Phantasmal Flames pre-orders. The full scope of these cancellations remains uncertain, as does the precise reasoning behind them: while some cancellations may relate to anti-botting measures, others could result from inventory miscalculations where retailers oversold their available stock. Despite these developments, many resellers appear confident about maintaining substantial inventory levels.

According to multiple marketplace analyses conducted by Game Rant, pre-orders for the Pokemon TCG Phantasmal Flames set are appearing on eBay with significant price premiums, including $60 Elite Trainer Boxes being listed at $200 or higher. Geographic analysis suggests that Australian resellers have been particularly successful in employing automated systems to secure inventory.

A growing segment of the Pokemon community identifies scalping activity as a primary reason for diminishing interest in the Pokemon TCG. Beyond making the hobby financially prohibitive for many enthusiasts, scalpers frequently prevent products from ever reaching retail shelves in high-demand markets. Reddit user e-Standards commented, "I haven't purchased any products, or felt the desire for them, since I haven't seen them available in retail stores at all."

While all new Pokemon TCG releases experience some degree of scalping, Phantasmal Flames features both Charizard and Gengar—two of the franchise's most popular characters—making it particularly attractive to resellers. The Pokemon Company has recently acknowledged Pokemon TCG supply shortages and has implemented extended printing schedules for certain sets. However, with approximately half a dozen expansions released annually, no individual set remains in production long enough to fully satisfy consumer demand and effectively counteract the scalping market.

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