Pokémon's Pitch Black set is mysteriously absent from some Target stores

The TCG set is officially out on July 17, but confused Target customers are finding empty shelves

It's Pitch Black release day, which means that Target stores all over the country are greeting Pokémon fans who want to score the gothic trading card game set. Some of those folks camped out overnight to get the new set or woke up early to line up for it. According to reports from a few different regions, however, some Target early birds have found no stock whatsoever.

For Target, which has a close relationship with The Pokémon Company, that's extremely unusual. Normally, Target locations gear up for launch by clearing out old stock and setting up fresh displays advertising the new set. Some stores will also designate cordoned-off lines outside the store that lead to special areas near the entrance with all the new products. Employees guide customers through these areas to ensure things go smoothly, and to make sure no one takes more than the store's specific item limit.

In other words, Pokémon TCG release days are an event. Fans expected July 17 to be like any other TCG launch day, but bizarrely, that wasn't the case. Polygon spoke to multiple Target customers lined up outside stores in Minnesota who had visited other Twin Cities locations and found zero stock. These claims are further backed up by social media posts in local restock groups shared by frustrated fans, as well as Discord messages from national restock groups. Rather than finding fresh Elite Trainer Boxes or booster packs, these customers were greeted with signs apologizing for the lack of stock.

While Target is a popular destination for TCG purchases, not every store is guaranteed to receive new stock. Bigger stores, like Super Target, do get regular big batches of product. The Pitch Black release date snafu is affecting even larger locations that historically do have stock on launch day when the store opens.

"One Target store had no drop, the other Target store had 20 ETBs," one Discord user said.

Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment. So far, known affected areas include Minnesota and Pennsylvania, though it's likely other regions are impacted as well. Target receives Pokémon stock from third-party vendors, like MJ Holdings, so the issue may not lie with the retail chain. To prevent issues with scalpers, some vendors randomize their Pokémon restock times — but not for the release of a new set.

Whatever is happening behind the scenes, even stores that are technically stocked with new products are slightly amiss. A new release day is typically accompanied by a swath of other recent products, like boxes of Ascended Heroes, Perfect Order, and Destined Rivals. Some Target stores are only selling Pitch Black ETBs, booster packs, and three-pack blisters, and are displaying them on smaller fixtures than usual.

Pitch Black will presumably hit Target shelves eventually. Some stores that opened with no stock may see vendors appearing later in the day. Target stores also dole out new products throughout the day when new sets arrive, to give more people a chance to score cards.

If you're in an area with a barren Target, your best bet might be chains like Best Buy, Walmart, Ace Hardware, Barnes & Noble, among others. If these retailers received stock, by the time you read this they're probably already out of ETBs. Social media posts show that retailers like Walmart are flush with single-pack boosters, at least.