Target is cracking down hard on Pokémon's 30th Anniversary TCG set sales

Target is rolling out unusually strict purchase rules for the Pokémon 30th Anniversary TCG set launch on September 16, with tighter limits, added security, and new crowd-control measures at many US locations.

Several stores are capping purchases at one item type per customer — stricter than Target's usual two-item limit. Security personnel will manage lines and parking lot traffic, and some stores are banning the practice of holding a spot in line with an empty lawn chair. Line formation rules vary by location: some won't allow customers to queue until Target officially closes on the evening of September 15, while others prohibit gathering until a few hours before opening on September 16. Once doors open, not every customer in line will necessarily be let in at once. Target hasn't made an official announcement, but retail employees have confirmed the measures in comments on social media posts by Pokémon restock influencer BritBrattv, and at least one store flyer has circulated showing the one-item-type limit.

The 30th Anniversary set is one of the most anticipated Pokémon TCG releases in years, marking three decades since the franchise launched in 1996. Target has long been a primary destination for Pokémon card buyers in the US, which has historically made high-demand releases chaotic — scalpers and resellers have repeatedly caused problems at retail locations, most infamously during the pandemic-era card boom that led Target to temporarily pull Pokémon products from shelves in 2021. The elaborate new Pokémon displays going up near the electronics section at many Target stores this month signal the retailer is treating this drop as a major retail event. The displays will also stock recent products alongside 30th Anniversary items, including Target-exclusive Pokémon Owala water bottles.

Fans planning to line up early are advised to contact their local store directly, since rules differ significantly between locations. Whether the stricter enforcement actually keeps scalpers in check — or just shifts the chaos — remains to be seen on launch day.