{
  "data_version": "1",
  "schema": "https://whatledto.com/data",
  "id": "the-pok-mon-company",
  "name": "The Pokémon Company",
  "kind": "company",
  "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/the-pok-mon-company",
  "description": "",
  "same_as": [],
  "timelines": [
    {
      "slug": "pokemon-card-supply",
      "title": "Pokémon Cards: Record Printing, Empty Shelves",
      "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply",
      "json": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply.json",
      "role": "Publishes worldwide Pokémon card-production figures and sets Japanese Pokémon Card Game sales policies.",
      "entries": 7,
      "updated_at": "2026-10-14T02:01:40.262749+00:00"
    }
  ],
  "entries": [
    {
      "timeline": "pokemon-card-supply",
      "id": 1854,
      "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply#n1854",
      "date": "2026-08-05",
      "date_precision": "day",
      "title": "The first products go behind Japan's ID check, and all four are 30th Celebration",
      "summary": "Pokémon Center Online named the first items that would require buyers to prove their identity through the Digital Identification App, built by Japan's Digital Agency, and the government-issued My Number Card. All four were Pokémon Card Game products from the 30th Celebration series and were due on sale the following month - the Mega Expansion Pack 30th Celebration Box at 7,200 yen, the Mega 30th Celebration Futuristic Box at 27,500 yen, the Espeon and Umbreon Premium Deck Set at 6,200 yen, and the nine-type complete Card Set at 10,800 yen. Because the My Number Card is issued to residents of Japan, the check limits those four products to them.",
      "type": "regulatory",
      "entities": [
        "The Pokémon Company",
        "Pokémon Center"
      ],
      "parties": [
        "the-pok-mon-company",
        "pok-mon-center"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://soranews24.com/2026/08/05/pokemon-center-online-designates-first-pokemon-items-that-will-require-japanese-id-card-to-buy/",
          "outlet": "SoraNews24",
          "published": "2026-08-05",
          "quote": "The Pokémon Center Online has now announced the first items which will require shoppers to prove their identity through the Digital App, with four Pokémon Card Game items designated for such protection, all of them part of the Pokémon Card Game's 30th Celebration series and scheduled to go on sale next month."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "timeline": "pokemon-card-supply",
      "id": 1835,
      "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply#n1835",
      "date": "2026-05",
      "date_precision": "month",
      "title": "Japan will require a government ID card to buy the scarcest cards",
      "summary": "Pokémon Japan said that from around August 2026, customers would have to verify their identity with the government-issued My Number Card to enter lotteries and buy selected trading card products from Pokémon Center Online, and to register for certain official events. Because the card is issued to Japanese citizens and long-term residents, the requirement effectively limits those purchases to people living in Japan.",
      "type": "announcement",
      "entities": [
        "The Pokémon Company",
        "Pokémon Center"
      ],
      "parties": [
        "the-pok-mon-company",
        "pok-mon-center"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/05/pokemon-japan-to-implement-government-id-verification-for-pokemon-tcg-purchases-on-pokemon-center-online",
          "outlet": "PokeBeach",
          "published": "2026-05",
          "quote": "To combat scalping, Pokemon Japan has announced that starting around August 2026, customers will need to verify their identity using the government-issued \"My Number Card\" in order to enter lotteries and purchase select TCG products from Pokemon Center Online."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "timeline": "pokemon-card-supply",
      "id": 1836,
      "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply#n1836",
      "date": "2026-03",
      "date_precision": "month",
      "title": "Ten billion more cards in a year, and the shelves still clear",
      "summary": "The Pokémon Company's figures report for the year ended March 2026 showed 10 billion Pokémon cards printed worldwide, the third year running that the annual addition has been near that level. The company had printed 43 billion cards in total between October 1996 and March 2022; the four years since have added roughly the same amount again, taking the cumulative total to about 85 billion.",
      "type": "report",
      "entities": [
        "The Pokémon Company"
      ],
      "parties": [
        "the-pok-mon-company"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/05/pokemon-tcg-printed-10-billion-cards-in-2025-as-overwhelming-demand-outpaced-production-capacity",
          "outlet": "PokeBeach",
          "published": "2026-05",
          "quote": "Pokemon printed 43 billion cards between October 1996 and March 2022. In the four years since then, it has already printed an additional 42 billion cards -- essentially matching the TCG's first 25 years combined."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "timeline": "pokemon-card-supply",
      "id": 1853,
      "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply#n1853",
      "date": "2025-03",
      "date_precision": "month",
      "title": "Printing falls back to 10.2 billion cards in the first year of the shortage",
      "summary": "The Pokémon Company's figures report for the year ended March 2025 showed 10.2 billion cards printed worldwide, 1.7 billion fewer than the record 11.9 billion of the year before, a fall of about 14 percent even as the sell-outs began. The cumulative total passed 75 billion cards in 16 languages across 90 countries and regions. Before 2019 the company had been printing an average of 1.5 to 2 billion cards a year.",
      "type": "report",
      "entities": [
        "The Pokémon Company"
      ],
      "parties": [
        "the-pok-mon-company"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.pokebeach.com/2025/05/pokemon-tcg-printed-10-2-billion-cards-in-2024-lower-than-the-previous-year",
          "outlet": "PokeBeach",
          "published": "2025-05",
          "quote": "The Pokemon Company has released its latest figures report, revealing 10.2 billion Pokemon cards were produced from March 2024 to March 2025."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "timeline": "pokemon-card-supply",
      "id": 1842,
      "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply#n1842",
      "date": "2025-01-23",
      "date_precision": "day",
      "title": "London Pokémon Center pop-up excludes Prismatic Evolutions",
      "summary": "The Pokémon Company confirmed that the London Pokémon Center pop-up would not sell Prismatic Evolutions products. Video Games Chronicle reported that the set had sold out globally.",
      "type": "response",
      "entities": [
        "The Pokémon Company",
        "Pokémon Center",
        "Prismatic Evolutions"
      ],
      "parties": [
        "the-pok-mon-company",
        "pok-mon-center",
        "prismatic-evolutions"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/pokemon-prismatic-evolution-wont-be-sold-at-london-pokemon-center/",
          "outlet": "Video Games Chronicle",
          "published": "2025-01-23",
          "quote": "The pop-up Pokémon Center in London will feature no Prismatic Evolutions products, The Pokémon Company has confirmed to VGC."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "timeline": "pokemon-card-supply",
      "id": 1832,
      "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply#n1832",
      "date": "2025-01",
      "date_precision": "month",
      "title": "Pocket's launch and two sell-out sets leave the card shelves empty",
      "summary": "The shortage that has run ever since began with the release of the Pokémon TCG Pocket mobile app in October 2024. The two expansions that followed it, Surging Sparks in November 2024 and Prismatic Evolutions in January 2025, both sold out quickly, and supply has not caught up since.",
      "type": "report",
      "entities": [
        "The Pokémon Company",
        "Pokémon TCG Pocket"
      ],
      "parties": [
        "the-pok-mon-company",
        "pok-mon-tcg-pocket"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/05/pokemon-tcg-printed-10-billion-cards-in-2025-as-overwhelming-demand-outpaced-production-capacity",
          "outlet": "PokeBeach",
          "published": "2026-05",
          "quote": "Following the app's October 2024 release, November 2024's Surging Sparks and January 2025's Prismatic Evolutions quickly sold out, with shortages persisting ever since."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "timeline": "pokemon-card-supply",
      "id": 1839,
      "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/pokemon-card-supply#n1839",
      "date": "2024-03",
      "date_precision": "month",
      "title": "Pokémon card production reaches 11.9 billion cards",
      "summary": "The Pokémon Company reported that 11.9 billion Pokémon cards were produced from March 2023 to March 2024. The total was reported as a production record.",
      "type": "financial",
      "entities": [
        "The Pokémon Company",
        "Pokémon Trading Card Game"
      ],
      "parties": [
        "the-pok-mon-company",
        "pok-mon-trading-card-game"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.pokebeach.com/2024/05/pokemon-tcg-printed-record-11-9-billion-cards-in-2023-the-biggest-year-ever",
          "outlet": "PokeBeach",
          "published": "2024-05-24",
          "quote": "The Pokemon Company has released its latest figures report, revealing a record 11.9 billion Pokemon cards were produced from March 2023 to March 2024!"
        }
      ]
    }
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