Do Pokémon Cards Beat Video Games for Supply Scarcity?
If you collect Pokémon cards or video games, you know scarcity drives up prices. Rare items get hunted by fans, and the less supply there is, the more value they hold. But do Pokémon cards create tighter supply limits than video games? Let’s break it down simply.
Start with video games. Most big titles like Pokémon Scarlet or Violet get printed or manufactured in huge numbers. Companies make millions of copies to sell worldwide. Even limited editions often produce tens of thousands. Stores restock them regularly, and digital versions have endless supply. Once a game is out, you can usually find it cheap or download it forever. Supply stays high because demand spreads over years, and reprints keep coming.
Pokémon cards work differently. Each set has a fixed print run set by The Pokémon Company. They decide how many booster packs, tins, or elite trainer boxes to make before stopping production. No reprints for most sets once they end. Older sets like the original Base Set from 1999 have tiny supplies left after decades of collecting and wear. A first-edition holographic Charizard from that set is super rare because so few survived in good shape.[1] Newer chase cards, the hyped ones everyone wants, follow the same rule: limited packs mean few pull those ultra-rares.
Rarity symbols on cards show this built-in scarcity. Common cards fill packs, but ultra-rares or secret rares appear once every few boxes. Demand spikes from nostalgia, influencers, or gameplay power, but supply stays locked. In 2025, top cards hit record prices because no new prints chase the hype.[2] Walmart restocks current products, but once a set retires, those cards vanish from shelves fast.[1]
Compare the two. Video games flood the market to reach every player. Pokémon cards ration supply to build excitement and value. A game might drop to ten bucks after launch. That same rarity in cards? It climbs into hundreds or thousands. Cards win on scarcity because production stops cold, while games keep flowing.
Collectors chase cards for this edge. Track sets ending soon, grab sealed product early, and watch prices soar as supply dries up. Video games rarely pull that trick.
