Pokémon and Van Gogh Museum collaboration sparks scalping chaos
The collaboration between the Pokémon franchise and the Van Gogh Museum for its 50th anniversary quickly descended into disorder. Limited-edition merchandise, such as statues and plush toys, vanished within four hours, largely due to scalpers. With no purchase restrictions in place, resellers took to eBay, marking up prices significantly; for instance, the promotional card "Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat" was seen listed for over $500. Additionally, the Pokémon Center's online sale was depleted almost immediately, likely a result of bot activity. Consequently, the museum scrapped a planned treasure hunt for the card, deciding instead to release it in early 2024 across the UK, US, Canada, and select stores in the Netherlands. This situation has sparked discussions about the commercialization of museums.
Key facts
- Pokémon and Van Gogh Museum collaboration launched September 2023.
- Merchandise sold out in four hours due to scalpers with no purchase limits.
- Promotional card 'Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat' listed for over $500 on eBay.
- Over 2,500 Pokémon x Van Gogh items appeared on eBay.
- Online sale on Pokémon Center sold out instantly, likely via bots.
- Pokémon Company apologized on social media.
- Van Gogh Museum canceled treasure hunt distribution of the card.
- Museum had €58.6 million revenue in 2022 with €5.6 million operating profit.
Entities
Artists
- Vincent van Gogh
Institutions
- Van Gogh Museum
- The Pokémon Company
- Nintendo
- Creatures
- Game Freak
- Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
- eBay
- Artribune
Locations
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Canada