The Rare Victini #288/SV-P will not be exclusive to Japan
Early reports are circulating that the Victini Japanese Promo #288/SV-P is coming to the English Black Bolt & White Flare sets. This is surprising for some, considering the Japanese version of the card is only obtainable through Tournaments and is limited in supply. This scarcity has driven the Japanese card price to over $2,000 in a PSA 10. The card currently sits around $2,300 in a PSA 10, or $900 sealed.
For some paying attention to the theme of the Black Bolt & White Flare sets, however, it may not be so surprising. The Reshiram and Zekrom BWR rarities were already revealed as monochromatic cards. With that in mind, the Victini #288 makes sense as a BWR rarity card. Some may have expected it to come as a promo, but most collection boxes and promos from Black Bolt & White Flare have already been revealed.
Still, this doesn't necessarily spell disaster for the Japanese promo. While some may react negatively to the news and panic sell their Japanese exclusive, we have seen plenty of instances where a Japanese promo that is hard to obtain ends up getting an English release. There will always be collectors who want the exclusive version instead. It will be interesting to see how the prices on the Victini #288 promo adjust in the coming weeks and months.