Pokémon Escalates Its Anti-Scalper Campaign With Facial Recognition at Japan’s Pop-Up Card Stores

To combat scalping, Pokémon is testing facial recognition at five temporary card stores in Japan during the launch of the new Storm Emerald Mega expansion. This system will limit each person to one entry and one queue ticket per day, preventing repeat visits. This is part of a larger effort to crack down on scalpers, which has also included suggestions for ID checks and potential government action.

A24 and Joya Bottle the ‘Backrooms’ Liminal-Space Dread Into a Handmade Candle

A24 is working with Joya, a New York-based candle studio, to create products inspired by the unsettling look of the film The Backrooms. The first item is a yellow soy wax candle in a glass container decorated with the distinctive, damp wallpaper pattern from the movie. Its scent aims to capture the feeling of The Backrooms using notes like metal, ash, humidity, and distorted static.