GameStop's Glittering Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Legendary Pokémon Promotion Persists to Encounter Problems
In late September, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company revealed a collaborative promotion with GameStop. Through October 15th, Shiny editions of the legendary mascots from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are being given away at brick-and-mortar GameStop locations in the US and at EB Games outlets in New Zealand and Australia. Participating stores in additional nations such as Japan and France have also been added in the promotion.
Initial Problems and Code Shortages
Nonetheless, the promotion got off to a rocky start—enthusiasts reported that their nearby shops had exhausted their code supplies in the period before the event. Currently, midway into the giveaway timeframe, GameStop has restocked the codes, but chances are your nearest outlet has depleted its stock again.
Because of high demand, the first wave of free Shiny Koraidon and Shiny Miraidon code cards were snapped up rapidly.
Saturday, October 4th, the retailer declared a replenishment of codes via social media. Their announcement explained that they had collaborated with The Pokémon Company to make more codes available, but there is a limitation. "Pokémon has given us a limited number of receipt codes, approximately 50 per store."
Scalping and Resale Problems
Initially, stores were given 50 codes, but they quickly ran through them. Despite the promotion limiting codes to a single code per individual, some online auction posts appeared with multiple codes for sale. That's remained true for the second batch of codes. One of the top replies on X stated, "These codes right?" alongside images of eBay listings for the codes, with one listing having several codes on offer.
Varied Outcomes for Fans
Some players were able to snag codes during the weekend from their local stores, while others weren't so lucky. "Hoping for a third opportunity. I contacted my local GameStop. They’re out of codes (again)," one individual commented, before other players came forward and provided them with extra codes for the shiny legendary Pokémon.
Unanswered Questions
Why the Shiny box legendaries weren't earned through a in-game Tera Raid or given away online via the Mystery Gift feature remains unknown. At present, you must visit your local store and hope they still have codes remaining if you desire a Shiny Koraidon or Shiny Miraidon.
