This Special Release Pikachu Promo Seeks to Be Super Effective Against Resellers

To celebrate the launch of a captivating new book Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology, an exciting collaboration is underway. The Pokémon Company and the Natural History Museum will launch a temporary store stocked with special items. Fans will find offerings including plush toys, art prints, and writing supplies all drawing from the museum's theme. For collectors, however, will be a limited-edition Pikachu card, offered as a gift with purchase for the pop-up. The store is scheduled from on-site at the museum to online from January 26 to April 19.

Pokécology Behind the Partnership

Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology represents a much-awaited tome packed with beautiful artwork that show creatures in their natural habitats. It's essentially like what an in-world scientist might publish after trainers provide field notes, alternatively what Charles Darwin might have created if the famous islands teemed with Pidgeys rather than finches. Part of the charm lies in the book's scholarly treatment, presenting Pokémon as worthy of subject for inquiry. Writer Yoshinari Yonehara and artist Chihiro Kinoshita both hold PhDs in animal behavior and ecology.

What Makes This Promo Card Different

The company regularly for The Pokémon Company to release cards for major tournaments and brand collaborations. A lot such promotional cards often feature the iconic electric rodent that acts as the series face. The factor setting this latest promotion apart is its unusually large size. While exact measurements have not been immediately shared, availability will certainly be highly restricted, with customers able to get just one card with each transaction.

Limiting Speculator Interest

According to a company announcement, some of the pop-up items may also be available outside the museum walls. However, broader availability will only be specific stores within the United Kingdom. Critically, fans cannot purchase the card via the online Pokémon Center. While reseller interest is a given, it appears they're going to have a difficult time stockpiling large numbers this time around. For those unable to attend, there is an alternative like fossil-themed display headed to Chicago later this year.

"All profits from purchases made in the Museum shop and from its web shop, which covers Pokémon products, go toward the Natural History Museum’s non-profit work. This includes the research of hundreds of researchers dedicated to scientific inquiry to discover solutions to the global ecological crisis," it says.