Published May 4, 2026, 1:59 PM EDT

Between scalpers, fights, glitches, and high tensions, TCG kiosks are starting to go away

Pokémon vending machines are getting pulled after endless reseller drama

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Pokémon trading card kiosks were supposed to be a nice alternative to retail stores, where reselling vultures camp overnight to nab stock the moment it goes on sale. Instead, the vending machines just became another place for people to fight about who gets to buy the elusive new Pikachu card. And now, it appears that The Pokémon Company has begun to scale back its vending machines footprint.

Trading card game aficionados have started receiving notices from Pokémon's support team , which say that kiosks are "gradually being removed from select retail locations" in an effort to "improve stock consistency, reduce regional shortages, and provide a more reliable experience for all players."

The notices do not say kiosks are going away altogether, but many Pokémon fans feel the…