The release of the Pokémon 30th Celebration trading card set has been marred by widespread incidents of disruptive behavior, including overnight camping, line-cutting, and even physical altercations, according to reports and social media footage. While the set itself is noted for favorable pull-rates and low resale prices, its availability has triggered intense competition among collectors and scalpers.
Retailers have struggled to manage the crowds, with various stores implementing different strategies. In one instance at a Target in Northridge, California, customers were instructed to wait in the parking lot before being directed to form a line outside the store, a method that quickly devolved into jostling and crowding. Footage from this event showed adults shoving children as they vied for the cards.
A more serious situation unfolded at a Target in Gilroy, California, where individuals camped out overnight. Accusations of line-jumping escalated into a physical fight involving punches, which only ceased when police sirens were heard.
The practice of "ghost chairs," where empty folding chairs are left to reserve spots in overnight queues, has also become a point of contention. This tactic has been used by some individuals to leave the line to purchase more product from other stores, only to return to their reserved spot.
In South Carolina, a man was arrested by police after allegedly attempting to cut in line at a Target and refusing to leave when asked by store management. Eyewitness accounts suggest the individual proceeded to another store, a Best Buy, to queue there.
Further reports detail a heated exchange in Conroe, Texas, involving an adult woman confronting another individual's daughter over a claimed chair "sat in for eight fucking hours," highlighting the adult nature of the disputes over a children's game.
Some stores attempted to mitigate issues with ticketing systems. However, this measure was also circumvented, as seen in a New York Target where a customer allegedly altered their ticket number from #27 to #12 by writing over it, only to be caught when the original #12 was called.
Despite the widespread chaos, some release events were reportedly peaceful. One overnight queue in Langhorne, Philadelphia, even featured a communal cook-out, suggesting that orderly distribution is possible.
The incidents underscore a broader issue of extreme behavior among some collectors and resellers vying for limited merchandise.