"Guess he had Pikachu" — Netizens react to men fist-fighting over Pokemon cards in a Costco parking lot in Toronto

First released in the late 1990s, Pokemon cards remain popular among fans. A recent viral video from a Toronto Costco parking lot shows two men fighting over trading cards.

Costco sells exclusive Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 151 Mini Tins for about $39.99. These cards are part of the Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG), where players build decks and battle using creature attacks.

Netizens quickly took to X to comment on the incident wherein an X user took a dig at the physical altercation taking place because one of the men had Pikachu who is considered to be a strong creature:

"Guess he had pikachu"

"Man said "Pikachu I see you", with that flying knee 😂😂" an X user commented.

"Gotta catch 'em all… including these hands apparently 😂🥊💀" another X user mentioned.

"One person should release the charizard and that whole fight would’ve been over" an internet user stated referring to one of the fictional creatures in the series.

"These are scalpers probably, not even players or collectors" another internet user said alleging that the men in the video were resellers.

Moreover, some internet users expressed their discontent over the incident:

"Grown Men should never fight over a children’s card game." an X user tweeted.

"This is what happens when a society raises weak, fatherless men addicted to nostalgia instead of building something real. When did we trade ambition for childhood fantasies?" a netizen expressed their opinion on the incident.

"How does one even end up doing this with their life" another netizen remarked.

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"We understand this inconvenience can be disappointing for fans": The Pokemon Company acknowledges shortage of trading cards

The recent instance of 2 men fighting for Pokemon trading cards in a Costco parking lot is a result of the shortage of trading cards which began with a new set launched in November 2024 called Surging Sparks. Owing to the shortage of trading cards, a specific card featuring Pikachu in the Surging Sparks set retails for more than $1000 Cdn on eBay as per CBC's report dated March 2025.

Additionally, the hype for the trading cards increased after the company launched the Prismatic Evolutions set in January 2025 with some of the trading cards retailing for $5000 Cdn on eBay. The Japanese company received a lot of backlash from fans because of the shortage of cards creating a surge in its prices, and revoking access from those who are genuine collectors.

Addressing the shortage of trading cards, the company released a statement via X on January 15, 2025, stating:

“We understand this inconvenience can be disappointing for fans, and we are actively working to print more of the impacted Pokemon TCG products as quickly as possible and at maximum capacity to acknowledge this. Reprinted products are expected to be available at participating retailers as soon as possible to help ensure more fans receive opportunities to access Scarlet & Violet – Prismatic Evolutions."

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According to CBC's report, the Pokemon Company has acquired billions in its retail sales via merchandise and media wherein the Japanese company's total retail sales reached $10.8 billion for the 2023 fiscal year.