Pictures show huge queues in Leeds for Pokémon TCG’s 30th anniversary release

Excitement was high in Leeds for the release of the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s’ 30th anniversary set as eager fans queued around the corner for the chance to get their hands on it.

People flocked to Travelling Man on Central Road on Tuesday (September 16) morning as they waited for the release of the special line of products. Pictures taken by the Yorkshire Evening Post showed the line snaked back down the street before the hobby shop threw open its doors at 10am.

Well-prepared fans came armed with camping chairs to make the queuing more comfortable ahead of the big day. The legendary Japanese franchise is celebrating 30 years since Pikachu and friends made the jump from the Game Boy screen into the world of card games.

Since the pandemic, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has seen a boom in popularity and the excitement could be felt in Leeds city centre on Tuesday morning.

Speaking before the release of the 30th anniversary set, which includes an exclusive range of special cards, Khalid Morton, manager of Travelling Man in Leeds, told the YEP: “There's a fair amount, so I'd expect they’ll sell out in the first couple of hours.

“We're expecting a lineup to start very early in the morning, if not tonight. There have already been pictures circulating of people outside major retailers already today."

Travelling Man was expecting a mix of players looking to get their hands on the cards for casual and competitive play, as well as collectors. Morton described it as a “really pretty” set.

He added: “You've got those that have been collecting them for many years, so the nostalgia aspect of it kicks in for them.

“But it's also the resellability of them also comes into play. Currently, the secondary market for these is quite high."