Steiff x Pokémon Pikachu: This Isn’t How I Imagined the Launch
Actually, on July 24, I just wanted to buy a Pikachu. 350 euros is, without a doubt, a lot of money for a 21-centimeter-tall figurine. But this is where Pokémon and Steiff come together—two brands with huge fan and collector communities. On top of that, there’s a global limited run of just 1,996 pieces—a nod to 1996, the year Pokémon was launched.
For me, those were enough reasons to go ahead and buy it, despite the price. The problem: I’ve practically never seen the store working properly since the sale started.
Waiting for hours—and still not buying anything in the end
Steiff had previously made a big announcement about the launch. The first 350 numbered items were to be available exclusively through Steiff online and in its own stores.
Then, on Friday morning, the chaos began. The website was temporarily unavailable, with maintenance work and error messages popping up. A message was posted on Instagram stating that they were working on the technical issues. Later, they said, in essence, that the store should be available again soon.
But here’s the thing: Nothing happened to me.
I kept getting error messages or a page that couldn’t be reached. Other buyers apparently had a bit more luck and at least managed to get Pikachu into their shopping cart. But even there, the purchase sometimes failed at checkout.
And before we knew it, the first copies were simply gone.
350 Copies Meet the Pokémon Hype
It was clear from the start that 350 Pikachus wouldn’t last long with a global fan base. For me, therefore, the problem wasn’t the limited quantity alone. The issue was the combination of extreme hype, a highly publicized launch, and a technical platform that simply didn’t give many fans a fair chance to complete their purchase.
That’s exactly why, in the end, it leaves you feeling frustrated above all else.
It was especially disheartening shortly afterward when I checked eBay and classified ads. The first figures were already appearing there at prices that, in some cases, were well over 1,000 euros.
Of course, no one knows how many of the 350 items were actually purchased specifically for resale. But when you see numerous deals for 1,100, 1,300 euros, or even more right after a launch like this, it quickly gives me the impression that some of the figures didn’t end up with the fans for whom such a collector’s item was actually intended.
Actually, that Pikachu had everything it needed to be a special collector’s item
And that’s exactly what I find unfortunate. I still really like the concept, though.
- Only 1,996 units worldwide
- 21-centimeter-tall Pikachu
- yellow mohair
- Gold-plated Steiff “Button in the Ear”
- Two extremely well-known collector’s brands come together
- Limited edition to commemorate the Year of the Pokémon, 1996
350 euros is expensive, but with Pokémon, Steiff, and the limited edition factor, I could definitely see why the product would find buyers. That’s exactly why I wanted one myself.
So, in terms of media coverage, the launch went extremely well. From a technical standpoint, however, it was, in my opinion, an absolute disaster.
The next opportunity is on August 3
Fortunately, the first 350 units weren’t the entire production run. A total of 1,996 Pikachus will be produced. Starting August 3, 2026, the next batch will be sold through select retail partners.
It is not yet fully known exactly which sellers these will be or how the quantities will be allocated.
For me, that means I’m going to give it another try. But I definitely won’t pay 1,100 or 1,300 euros for the Pikachu on the secondary market.
Keep Track of Pokémon Deals Automatically
If you generally follow Pokémon, One Piece, Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana, and other TCG products, you might want to check out the TCG Tracker.
A lot of things work similarly there to how they do on Brick-Tracker: comparing products, monitoring prices, and keeping an eye on items of interest. Of course, the market is quite different from LEGO’s. We currently have fewer Sellers, and Pokémon products in particular are often so scarce that it’s less about getting a 40 percent discount and more about simply being able to get a product at a reasonable price.
To perform a TCG Price Comparison, go to https://www.tcg-tracker.de.
My Conclusion
The Steiff Pikachu could have been a really great collector’s item launch for me. Instead, after spending hours trying to access a website that wasn’t working, I was left feeling mostly frustrated.
Limited-edition products are always tricky. But if a product is heavily promoted beforehand, the actual purchasing process should at least work smoothly.
Now our hopes rest on August 3. Maybe some of the fans who really want to keep Pikachu will actually get a chance to do so then.