With Pokemon TCG sets being so difficult to find due to demand, low stock, and bots, stores and fans alike have to navigate the Pokemon TCG struggle. Many stores, like GameStop, have placed strict product limits and even stopped letting gamers buy Pokemon cards online. Others, like Best Buy, only offer online options with very specific parameters, such as the Best Buy Drops that require using the app. Even so, Pokemon TCG fans are once again faced with a set that sold out instantly with today’s Destined Rivals Best Buy drop.
Fans interested in grabbing newly released Pokemon TCG sets pretty much have to keep their eyes on the prize these days. Following restock accounts and signing up for alerts are a popular way of trying to stay ahead of the game. Even so, bots are faster, which means that many online Pokemon TCG drops sell out lightning fast. That was again the case today, with a highly anticipated Best Buy Drops stock of the Destined Rivals ETB. The item went up in the Best Buy app at around 11 AM EDT, and many fans found that the Destined Rivals ETB sold out by the time they got through the line.
It’s never clear exactly how much stock to expect from Best Buy Drops pop-ups like this. The Drops are time-limited deals on “hot restocks” that require customers to have the Best Buy app to access. In theory, this extra layer could help make it easier for actual humans to get their hands on Pokemon TCG releases like Destined Rivals. In practice, many Pokemon card collectors are calling the retailer variations of “Bot Buy” and “Best Bot” following this latest restock. Although the mods are hard at work removing the many duplicate posts, the r/PokemonTCG subreddit is currently full of gamers making their feelings known when it comes to the latest Destined Rivals pre-order. And their feelings are… not positive.
Destined Rivals Release Date & Next Shot at Best Buy Drops
It’s understandable that folks are frustrated, as many Pokemon fans report hopping into the Best Buy drops line right at 11 AM when it opened. And, by the time they got to the Destined Rivals sale page, the item was already sold out. Whether this is due to a quick sell-out from bots or another issue, we don’t yet know. Either way, the drop certainly didn’t go as planned for many hopeful Pokemon fans shooting their shot for the Destined Rivals ETB. This was a pre-release opportunity to secure the cards before the set fully releases on May 30th, and it’s just the first of two planned Best Buy drops for the set.
RELATED: Most Stores Won’t Have Pokemon TCG Black Bolt & White Flare At Launch
The second round is scheduled for May 30th, when the Pokemon TCG Scarlet & Violet – Destined Rivals Booster Box will be available in the Best Buy App. Hopefully, that drop will go a bit more smoothly, but it’s proving tricky for online retailers to figure out a good way to prevent bot activity with restocks like this. Thankfully, by the time May 30th comes around, fans will have more options, since Destined Rivals should be available in all retailers at that time.
GameStop, for instance, has already listed both the Booster Box and ETB for Destined Rivals, with a 5/30/25 on-sale date. To prepare for the high demand for this Team Rocket set of Pokémon cards, GameStop has already announced a stricter limit for Destined Rivals. Local card stores should also have some stock starting on May 30th, though it may be limited and marked up over MSRP, both common issues for buying Pokemon cards these days.
It’s honestly hard to say where the best place to buy Pokemon cards is right now, with in-person stock running low and online sales being subject to bot-induced sellouts. Still, it seems like trying your luck at a local card retailer in person will be a better bet when Destined Rivals launches on May 30th, compared with trying for online options.
The post Pokemon TCG Fans Furious as Best Buy Destined Rivals Drop Sells Out Instantly appeared first on ComicBook.com.
