The latestPokémon Trading Card Gamepromotion has ended days early due to high demand and additional issues. TheMcDonald’s Japan-exclusive cardswere the first Pokémon card giveaway in 10 years for the country. The promo was scheduled to last through the weekend, but ended the same day it began.
According to a statement fromMcDonald’s Japan(text in Japanese, roughly translated byPokeBeach), the company ended its latest Pokémon Trading Card Game promotion after barely 24 hours due tooverwhelming demandand issued an apology. There have been reports of long lines, scalping, and food waste at several McDonald’s Japan locations.
McDonald’s Japan Abruptly Ends Pokémon Card Promo
The First One In 10 Years Was A Disaster
Originally, the promo was scheduled to last from August 9 to August 11, anda new McDonald’s exclusive Pikachu cardthat depicts the creature eating a burger had fans in a frenzy as they rushed to the stores and purchased Happy Meals in bulk, leading to an excessive amount of food being littered on the streets of Japan. There were five additionalcards to be collected, but they all had reprinted artwork with a new McDonald’s stamp.
Pokémon Cards Might Be The Hottest Collectibles Nowadays
Some Cards Are Worth Thousands Of Dollars
This ishardly the first timea Pokémon Trading Card Game giveaway has gone wrong. Though usually, the cards in the limited-run are solely reprints, while this one featured a new Pikachu card. With it being a Japan-only card, the demand was astronomically high. Pikachu is arguably the most iconic Pokémon ever created, somany of its cardsare highly sought after.
It’s a little disappointing that such a beloved card game and franchise is now more about making a profit than the love of the game to a lot of people. Several fans had previously expressed concern over this latestPokémon Trading Cardpromo, and while it’s impossible to say if McDonald’s Japan will do another one in the future, this one might have cemented Pokémon cards as one of the most popular collectibles in the world.
