Pokémon and McDonald’s Collaboration Ends in Crisis

A special campaign between the Pokémon brand, which has millions of fans worldwide, and McDonald’s ended shortly after its launch. The highly anticipated collaboration resulted in some unusual developments, and the resulting outcome surprised fans.

What Happened in the Pokémon and McDonald’s Partnership?

As part of the Pokémon and McDonald’s partnership, a special Pikachu card was planned to be distributed in Happy Meal menus from August 9-11. However, this special promotion ended in less than a day due to high demand. McDonald’s said in a statement, “The distribution ended early due to exceeding sales expectations. We apologize to our customers whose expectations we could not meet.”

The short duration of the event led to long lines at restaurants and black market sales. Footage shared on social media showed collectors abandoning their purchased cards in the streets without eating them. This led to significant food waste.

The high prices the cards were selling for on the secondhand market further fueled outrage. A single Pikachu promotional card sold for around £25 online, while a full set of six cards was twice that price. Allegations also surfaced that some McDonald’s employees were illegally selling the cards in boxes.

The incident echoed a similar crisis at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam last year. The special Pikachu card quickly sold out, leading to black market sales and the suspension of four employees. The Pokémon Company apologized to its fans in that incident. However, McDonald’s has not yet made an official statement regarding its collaboration.

Read More: League of Legends’ Control System Sparks Controversy