Creatures Inc. is set to release a batch of made-to-order Pokémon TCG booster boxes after the first run of Clay Burst sold out in its first day of availability. Those hoping to secure a Clay Burst booster box this time around will only have a limited window of opportunity, though, as an application process through the Pokémon Center website will only be available for five days. Clay Burst has so far only been released in Japan, with the English counterpart being released as Pokémon TCG‘s Paldea Evolved set in June.
According to Pokémon Center Online (via PokéBeach), the Clay Burst made-to-order booster boxes will be purchasable on the Pokémon Center website from 3:00pm Japanese Standard Time on May 11 to 3:00pm JST on May 16. However, due to expected congestion of the website during these hours, a virtual waiting room will open half an hour prior on May 11 to regulate traffic throughout the purchase period. The made-to-order Pokémon TCG boxes will cost buyers 5,400 yen – approximately 40 US dollars.
Iono’s Popularity Caused Clay Burst To Sell Out In Japan
Clay Burst containing the Pokémon TCG‘s first cards featuring Scarlet and Violet Gym Leader Iono seems to be the leading cause of the set’s shortage, thus the need for more booster boxes being made-to-order. It’s not uncommon for Pokémon cards featuring female characters to become highly sought after, but according to PokéBeach, “Iono’s rarest card cost over $2,000 at its peak.” With the opportunity to acquire Iono’s first Pokémon cards, TCG players in Japan lined up outside of shops for the set’s release, and Clay Burst was sold out across the country within the first day.
These new made-to-order booster boxes will go a long way in combating the rising prices and low availability of the Clay Burst cards. Essentially anyone dedicated to purchasing the set will be able to, as long as they are willing to potentially wait in the virtual waiting room while orders are processed. Shipments of made-to-order Clay Burst booser boxes, however, won’t go out until the beginning of August at the earliest, with some having to wait until October as well.
It’s unclear if the English Paldea Evolved set will face the same issues with availability. Paldea Evolved is currently set for release on June 9, 2023, and is bringing together three Japanese TCG sets – Clay Burst, Snow Hazard, and the Triplet Beat subset – in addition to a handful of other inclusions. Paldea Evolved is just the second set for Generation 9 of the English Pokémon TCG, and made-to-order booster boxes would be a surefire way to avoid shortages.
Sources: Pokémon Center Online (via PokéBeach)
