Huge queues formed in Liverpool ONE this morning as dozens of trading card enthusiasts lined up for the latest rare Pokémon card release. Crowds gathered outside TG Jones and Menkind in Liverpool ONE, as well as outside Forbidden Planet on Bold Street.
Fans Prepare for the Release
Some collectors on Bold Street brought camping chairs as they waited for the Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 2 box, which went on sale for the first time on June 19. The set, priced at £14.99, contains three booster packs featuring rare-style promo cards of beloved first partner Pokémon from the Johto, Unova, or Galar region. Each pack includes 10 game cards and one Basic Energy card.
Past Releases and Hype
The Pokémon trading card game has a loyal following, with large queues appearing at various Liverpool shops whenever special packs are released. Last month, fans waited outside Worlds Apart on Lime Street, TJ Jones in Liverpool ONE, and Sports Direct on Lord Street for the limited-edition Chaos Rising expansion pack. In April, another limited edition sold out within 15 minutes at Worlds Apart.
On Pokémon Day 2026, celebrating 30 years since the first Pokémon video games launched in Japan, fans queued for hours outside the LEGO shop in Liverpool ONE for exclusive Pokémon-themed sets worth £579.
Strict Rules to Combat Scalpers
Forbidden Planet, Liverpool's largest haven for cult entertainment, has implemented strict purchasing limits on trading card game packs to prevent bulk-buying by investors who resell online at inflated prices. Customers cannot buy large unsealed boxes or elite trainer boxes.
Manager Caroline Meakin said: "It's all to do with Pokémon and One Piece, which have exploded in popularity. We have had problems with scalpers who are trying to buy bulk, or they want them sealed so they can sell them online and jack up the prices. All our boxes come sealed in cling film or shrink wrap. Once the customers purchase the item, we will put a cut in the shrink wrap so they can't be advertised as 'unsealed'. We want to make it so people who want the cards can actually collect them."
First launched in 1996, Pokémon has grown into one of the world's most valuable entertainment brands. The trading card market has seen renewed interest, with rare cards fetching high prices and anniversary releases driving hype, leading to large turnouts whenever new products drop.
