The official ONE PIECE Card Game shops in Japan will introduce a facial recognition system during product sales starting Aug 22 to ensure that customers have a fair opportunity to purchase merchandise amid growing concerns over scalpers.
The system will temporarily collect and verify customers’ facial information when they purchase ONE PIECE Card Game-related products, according to Bandai Namco’s official website.
They also added that facial information will not be used for any purpose other than the sales process.
The move comes amid heightened attention surrounding the resale of ONE PIECE Card Game-related products.
A promotional card bundled with the July 13 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump triggered a nationwide sellout after scalpers reportedly purchased multiple copies to obtain the card.
Shueisha had increased the issue’s print run by 500,000 copies ahead of its release because of the expected demand for the card, although the publisher did not disclose the total print run.
Despite the additional copies, the issue quickly sold out at bookstores and convenience stores nationwide. Multiple copies subsequently appeared on resale marketplaces at significantly inflated prices, with scalpers reportedly purchasing copies specifically to obtain the promotional card.
Shueisha apologized to readers on July 17 and announced measures intended to prevent similar shortages in the future.
The facial recognition system is scheduled to debut on the same day a new ONE PIECE Card Game booster pack, “World’s Strongest Warriors,” goes on sale.
The new set is expected to attract significant attention from collectors and players. It includes a newly drawn “Strongest Creature, Kaido of the Beasts” card illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, the manga artist best known for the Baki the Grappler series.
The booster pack will also mark the debut of Rocks in the ONE PIECE Card Game, and introduces a new “Pirate Crew Super Parallel” rarity featuring Luffy and Rocks.
Source: Bandai Namco Official Website, Oricon
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