Yesterday, Lego officially revealed its new Pokémon building sets. These include large models of Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise. The most expensive set, featuring all three Pokémon, costs £579.99. However, the main reason this set gained attention was the special bonus included with pre-orders. While supplies lasted, anyone who bought the large model early would receive the Lego Pokémon Kanto Region Badge Collection for free.
Many fans on social media quickly expressed that they did not want to spend nearly £600 on the large Pokémon models. Instead, they simply wanted to buy the Kanto Region Badge Collection on its own. The price of the large set is actually higher than a brand new Nintendo Switch 2 console. Fans felt it was unfair to be forced into buying a massive set just to get the smaller badge collection as a freebie.
Now, it is no surprise that these badge collections are appearing on resale websites like eBay. Although Lego stated that the badge set is worth about £25 in the United Kingdom, scalpers are taking advantage of the limited supply. Many listings on eBay have already been marked as sold, with prices going for over £100. This high price is happening not just in the UK, but in international markets as well.
The terms and conditions for the badge collection reveal why these items are so rare. In the UK, the free gift offer was only valid for the first 8,500 people who pre-ordered the Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise set. In the United States, the limit was slightly higher, with the first 21,840 pre-orders receiving the badge collection. Once these limits were reached, the badges were no longer available as a free gift.
When the sets were first announced yesterday, the large Pokémon model was available for pre-order. However, sales pages in the UK and other regions now show that the Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise set is “coming soon.” Interested buyers can no longer secure the model through Lego’s official website ahead of its release.
It is important to note that even though the badge collections are currently being sold on sites like eBay, the sellers do not actually have the items in their hands yet. The official shipping date for these sets is not until February 27th. Scalpers are listing items they have not yet received, hoping to make a quick profit from desperate fans.
The partnership between Lego and Pokémon was first teased back in March, leading up to the full reveal yesterday. Besides the large Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise model, the collection also includes a Pikachu and Poké Ball set. There is also a smaller, cheaper model of Eevee that features posable parts for fans to adjust.
Lego has released several other Nintendo-themed sets recently as well. These include a model of The Legend of Zelda’s Great Deku Tree, a nostalgic Lego Game Boy model, and a large, fiery Lego Bowser figure. These sets have been popular among gaming fans and collectors alike.
