Securing Pokémon TCG products has become a real battle for many in 2026, but the Pokémon Center has introduced an Early Access system that should, in theory, make it easier for many to secure new releases.
Announced in April, the Pokémon Center Early Access programme provides selected customers with an access link to purchase products before they are released to the general public, reducing the huge wait times fans have when attempting to secure a pre-order.
If you’re looking to sign up for the Pokémon Center Early Access programme, Insider Gaming has all the necessary steps.
How to Sign Up For Pokémon Center Early Access
The Pokémon Center Early Access programme does not automatically enrol you if you have a membership, and requires you to subscribe to marketing emails.
If you already hold an account with the Pokémon Center and have subscribed to marketing emails, you should automatically be enrolled in early access. However, it’s worth checking your account to make sure.
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However, you don’t require an account to use the early access feature, with only an email address required. When receiving an invitation, you can then create one, which is recommended to track your order.
Here are the steps to sign up to the Pokémon Center Early access programme:
- Head to the official Pokémon Center website.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Select the ‘Get Email Updates’ button.
- Enter your email address.
- Select your country.
- Enter your birthday.
- Check the option to opt in to receiving marketing emails.
- Click the ‘sign up’ button to complete the process.
What is Pokémon Center Early Access?
Pokémon Center Early Access is a new feature introduced to the online store, in an apparent bid to combat the long wait times and frustration that fans encounter when new drops occur.
Major set releases on the Pokémon Center, which include exclusive Elite Trainer Box variants, often result in queue times of many hours, and the fact that many fans miss out on purchases, only to see bot accounts secure a huge amount of product, is extremely frustrating.
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The Pokémon Center Early Access approach should counter this in two ways, the first being offering a chance for selected fans to complete a purchase before the doors open to the wider public. Additionally, the requirement of an email address, alongside purchase restrictions, should counter bots.
Although some may feel that multiple sign-ups with different email addresses could provide a route to securing multiple product orders, The Pokémon Company strictly warns against doing so by stating that it “does not increase the likelihood of receiving an invitation” and “may result in the invitation being voided.”
What do you think about the introduction of the Pokémon Center Early Access programme? Share your thoughts in the Insider Gaming Discord.
For more Pokémon, take a look at the most used Pokémon in the first Pokémon Champions tournament, and check out all the Speed Tiers in the game.
