​It feels like every player and their Poochyenas are chasing down the hottest Pokémon cards recently. The hobby is reaching early-noughties playground levels of hype. But what’s next for this global phenomenon? Well, look no further!

We’ve got every 2026 Pokémon TCG release for you in one handy place. Here’s everything we know so far about Pokémon TCG releases for 2026, including when they launch, what’s confirmed, what’s predicted, what makes them special, and where you can actually buy them right now.​

Pokémon TCG: 2026 Release Calendar – At a GlancePokémon Day 2026 Collection – Jan. 30Perfect Order – Mar. 27Chaos Rising – May. 22Pitch Black - Jul. 17First Partner Illustration Collection (Series 3) - Aug. 730th Celebration Collection - Sep. 16Delta Reign - Nov. 6

While the full year’s roadmap hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, we can predict what we can expect by looking at Japan’s release schedules and previous trends for collections in the world of Pokémon TCG.​

But, for now, this is the fully confirmed release schedule for the rest of the year, excluding whatever surprises The Pokémon Company might have in store for us.

Bonus: Pokémon TCG Deals

Before we move on, let's quickly check out the latest Pokémon TCG deals that are floating around online right now. The best, and most popular, pick right now the sealed Prismatic Evolution Elite Trainer Boxes back in stock, and listed at under market rate at Amazon ($174.88).

Pitch Black - July. 17

Known as Abyss Eye in Japan, Pitch Black is the debut set for Mega Darkrai ex, releasing on July 17, 2026. This malice-filled set looks like the dark, brooding sibling to the bright Ascended Heroes cards we’ve been chasing all spring. But coming in at approximately 115 cards, it’ll be a lot more manageable expansion compared to the Coalossal 295-card checklist of Ascended Heroes. Here’s what you can expect:

Over 115 cardsMore new Mega Evolution Pokémon exMore than 20 Trainer cardsMore than 35 Pokémon and Trainer cards with special illustrations

We currently know 4 of the 6 Mega Evolution Pokémon - Mega Darkrai ex, Mega Zeraora ex, Mega Chandelure ex, and Mega Excadrill ex. Could we be about to get a viable Lightning-type attacker? Only time will tell. We don’t have any official confirmation on price, but the official MSRP for the standard Mega Evolution: Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box (ETB) is $49.99 (£49.99), so it’s likely we’d be looking at something similar for a Pitch Black ETB.

First Partner Illustration Collection (Series 3) - Aug. 7

We’ve had Series 1 of the First Partner Illustration Collection release at the start of 2026, and Series 2 is confirmed for June 19, 2026. You might be asking yourself, "What about a Series 3?" Well, great news!

First Partner Illustration Collection (Series 3) has officially been announced, focusing on the Starter Pokemon from Hoenn, Kalos, and Paldea. It will release on August 7th for $14.99. Could a secret Series 4 episode feature the Generation 10 starters afterwards? Only time will tell.

30th Celebration - Sept. 16

Pokémon TCG’s 30th Celebration expansion is set to launch worldwide on September 16, 2026.

For the first time, all regions will get the release at the same time, which should help stop the overpriced import market.

Each six-card booster pack is all foil, even the Basic Energy, and comes with one of 30 special Pikachu cards created by different artists. The set also adds a new premium tier called "Futuristic Rare," starting with Mew and Mewtwo cards drawn by Japanese artist YOSHIROTTEN.

Best of all - there’s special 30th-anniversary reprints of classic cards like Base Set Charizard and Pikachu & Zekrom-GX Tag Team confirmed, each with a special stamp.

These cards aren’t allowed in Standard play, but collectors can find them along with new Illustration Rares featuring Umbreon, Espeon, and new Pokémon ex like Greninja and Sylveon.

Every Legendary Pokémon will be up for grabs too.

30th Celebration Full Release Schedule

Sept 16

ETB ($49.99)Sylveon & Greninja ex Boxes ($21.99)Poster Collection ($14.99)Tech Sticker Collections ($14.99)Eevee 2-Pack Blister ($9.99)Knockout Collection ($9.99)

Oct. 2

Binder Collection ($31.99)Booster Bundle ($26.94)Mini Tins ($9.99)

Oct. 30

Espeon & Umbreon Battle Decks ($19.99)

Nov. 6

Ditto Premium Collection ($39.99)Mew & Mewtwo Figure Collections ($29.99)Day & Night Ultra-Premium Collections ($179.99)

Dec. 4

Celebration Tins ($21.99)Delta Reign - Nov. 6

Mega Rayquayza makes a triumphant return to Pokémon TCG, last spotted in Evolving Skies – one of the most iconic Pokémon TCG sets from the last decade. Delta Reign, otherwise known as Storm Emeralda in Japan, has been officially revealed for November 6, 2026, releasing in Japan on July 29, 2026. We got a sneak peak at the Mega Rayquaza ex card, check it out below!

We're waiting for more official details, but one interesting thing about this release is that it was the first time a 'matching' Pokémon TCG Pocket set was announced alongside it, launching around the same time of Japan's physical TCG release. No info on price and pre-orders yet, so bookmark this page and keep checking back for more!

Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection - July. 3

Moving on from May 22! Mega Greninja isn’t just getting its flowers in Chaos Rising - it’s also getting its own premium collection on 3rd July, 2026.

If you want to complete your Mega Greninja collection, this is a must-have. ​Its Mortal Shuriken Ability lets you discard a Basic Water Energy from your hand to place six damage counters on one of your opponent’s Pokémon, then deal up to 200 damage with a devastating Ninja Spinner attack.

Say it with me now. The Pokémon TCG: Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection includes:

1 foil promo card featuring Mega Greninja ex1 oversize lenticular promo card featuring Mega Greninja ex1 tech sticker featuring Mega Greninja8 Pokémon TCG booster packs

MSRP is $39.99 USD / £39.99 GBP. Considering Greninja’s popularity, we can expect this one to sell out quickly.

First Partner Illustration Collection (Series 2) - Jun. 19

Series 1 of First Partner Illustration Collection celebrated Pokémon’s 30th anniversary in style, offering illustration rare-style promo cards featuring starters from Kanto, Sinnoh, and Alola. These cards highlight nostalgic adventures with popular First Partners.

Now, we’ve got Series 2 to look forward to! This collection releases on June 19, 2026, featuring three of nine illustration rare-style promo cards of beloved starters from Johto, Unova, or Galar.

Inside, you can find:

1 Pokémon TCG pack containing 3 of 9 promo cards2 Pokémon TCG booster packs1 sticker sheet

Note: You can’t buy a set for a single region. The cards are random, so watch out!

Series 1 of the First Partner Illustration Collection flew off the shelves thanks to the Kanto hype. Only time will tell if Series 2 will have the same impact. But for $14.99 USD / £14.99 GBP, you can’t really go wrong.

Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection - May. 22

Greninja isn’t the only Pokémon getting its turn in the spotlight. Zygarde was the face of Perfect Order, and is now getting its own premium collection! The Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection also dropped on May 22, 2026 - a busy day for Pokémon fans!

The Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection spotlights Zygarde's multiple Formes and legendary status.

The Pokémon TCG: Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection includes:

1 foil promo card featuring Mega Zygarde ex1 oversize lenticular promo card featuring Mega Zygarde ex1 tech sticker featuring Mega Zygarde ex8 Pokémon TCG booster packs

Zygarde can become a Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, capable of dealing devastating damage to your opponents. Plus, the 8 booster packs, likely to be from Perfect Order, make this a decent deal. MSRP is £39.99 at all local card shops and participating retailers.

Mega Lucario ex League Battle Deck - May. 22

​The Mega Lucario ex League Battle Deck is ideal for experienced Trainers. Released on May 22, 2026, it features Mega Lucario ex and competitive cards like Secret Box and Fezandipiti ex, supporting advanced strategies.

The Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex League Battle Deck includes:

1 ready-to-play 60-card deck6 damage-counter dice1 coin-flip die2 coin condition markers1 deck box1 strategy sheet1 code card to play this deck on Pokémon TCG LiveMega Evolution: Chaos Rising - May. 22

Chaos Rising released on May 22, 2026, with Mega Greninja ex as the star of the show! This Kalos First Partner Pokémon is one of the most popular Pokémon of all time, with its all-new Mega form being introduced in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

But Mega Greninja ex is just one of the new Mega Evolution Pokémon ex that can be found in this expansion. You’ve got awesome cards like Mega Pyroar ex and Mega Dragalge ex to hunt down, alongside Mega Floette. MSRP for the Standard Elite Trainer Box (ETB) is $119.99 USD / £49.99 GBP, but you can check out the best Chaos Rising deals available just above.

Mega Evolution: Perfect Order – Mar. 27

If Ascended Heroes has set setting the foundation of what the Mega Evolution's expansions are going to look like, Perfect Order is certianly kicking things up a notch.

Arriving on March 27, 2026, the next expansion is going to be honing in on many of the Pokémon featured in the Legends: Z-A game.

Among the cards announced from the 120-card set so far, we know we’re going to be seeing many of the game’s starring Mega Pokémon; Mega Zygarde ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Mega Clefable ex; but also some surprising extra additions like Meowth ex.

If you're looking to secure the goods, your best bet is either TCGplayer or Amazon right now. Prices are rapidly dropping for ETBs at TCGplayer, while preorders for Booster Bundles are now live at Amazon, and they're listed for way under market price right now.

While the Booster Bundle deal I mentioned eariler is not quite as good a value as picking up the Booster Box at TCGplayer right now, including 36 packs for $228.80 market price (working out at $6.35 per pack), it's still a great deal for anyone who hasn't got a spare $200 to throw around, but still wants to get involved with the new set.

Funnily enough, while ETBs continue to drop in price, the booster box is actually on the rise, jumping from around $200 just last week to almost $230 now.

First Partner Illustration Collection (Series 1) – Mar. 20

The journey to Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary has officially begun with these gorgeous illustration rare-style promo cards that commemorate the bonds between a Trainer and their loyal first partner.

Whether you’re a Kanto veteran or new to the world of Pokémon, this new collection encourages you to look back on your favourite adventures from the last 30 years.

The International version is designed as a celebration of the bonds between Trainers and their First Partner. Each collection includes 1 Promo Booster Pack, where you can pull three of nine illustration rare-style promo cards.

Each of these cards feature stunning illustrations of beloved first partner Pokémon. You’ve got your classic Kanto friends - Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander. Then, we jump forward a few generations to Sinnoh, with Turtwig, Pipulp and Chimchar. Last, but certainly not least, we find ourselves in Alola with Rowlet, Popplio and Litten.

Pokémon TCG's First Partner Illustration Collection - Series 1 will be available on March 20, 2026. You’ll likely be able to find them in all your typical stockists; Pokémon Center, TCGplayer, Target, Best Buy, although preorders are yet to go live officially.

Pokémon Day Collection – Jan. 30

Pokémon’s 30th anniversary celebrations were on February 27, but you’ll be able to celebrate all year long with the the commemorative Pokémon Day 2026 Collection that dropped on January 30, alongside Ascended Heroes.

Announced back in December 2025, this is a very small release with one confirmed card: a unique stamped foil promo card of Pikachu looking cute as standard, along with a logo’d metallic coin, and a trio of TCG booster packs from different sets.

Available imagery seems to show the packs being a mixture of one Phantasmal Flames and two Mega Evolution, but we like to warn that the contents may always differ from unit to unit.

The Pokémon Day 2026 Collection can be bought now at Amazon for around $39, or from around $25-30 on TCGplayer at current market rates.

Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes – Jan. 30

The 2026 TCG year officially kicked off with Ascended Heroes, the second English Mega Evolution expansion of the new era since the base set launched in September last year.

Ascended Heroes leans heavily into classic Mega Pokémon, new Tera cards, Team Rocket Pokémon, and even a Stadium card, with 290 cards coming to the set altogether.

The new set is already getting a fairly staggered release, with the majority of products now releasing between February 20 and April 24. That includes some of the most popular items from a new Pokémon card set, such as the Elite Trainer Box, Booster Bundles, and more.

The recently delayed booster set features a promo card with either Erika’s Tangela or Larry’s Komala, a metallic coin featuring the chosen Gym Leader, and two booster packs from the Mega Evolution - Ascended Heroes expansion.

Mega Evolution’s Ascended Heroes expansion has also quickly become yet another collector-driven Pokémon TCG release, with demand greatly outweighing the supply and maxing out the value of certain cards.

It's already been hard to come by Ascended Heroes preorders, and undoubtedly this delay won't make it any easier for fans after release day. Ascended Heroes ETBs, for example, are currently averaging around $115-120 on resale markets - around a 135% markup from its MSRP of $49.99.

With Mega Evolutions returning in force and Special Illustration Rares pushing presentation to extravagant new heights, the set has created another sharp divide between playable staples and true luxury chase cards as well.

While not every premium pull is destined for competitive dominance, each of the top ten most expensive cards so far has earned a lofty market price with jaw-dropping artwork, gameplay relevance, pure scarcity, or a combination of the three.

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Sara Heritage is a freelance journalist for IGN, specialising in Pokémon TCG. When she's not gaming, you’ll probably find her building yet another LEGO set she absolutely did not need, or chaining ranked matches in Pokémon Champions.

If you’ve never played Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the prospect of getting into it can seem pretty daunting. This is a game, after all, with 30+ years of history. That’s more than three decades of cards and mechanics, worldbuilding and lore.

If you’ve ever lived and breathed a live service video game you’ll know just how much energy and time it can take simply to keep up. Constant new releases and updates that drive an ever-evolving meta mean it can be tricky to be even a casual fan… let alone finding your feet as a completely new player.

Magic: The Gathering definitely has many of the same challenges, but it also has more ways to interact with its cards and its history and its gameplay on your own terms. The fact that it’s mostly played as a physical game, for instance, means that it doesn’t necessarily matter what the best decks are, and what the most competitive players are doing. If you have a bad but fun deck and I have the same, we can still play and have a good time.

Wizards of the Coast has also been doing “Universes Beyond” content for more than five years now, and many of these releases essentially act as an onramp to Magic. Are you a fan of Final Fantasy? The Lord of the Rings? Avatar: The Last Airbender? There’s a Magic set for that. While many of these sets do have ramifications for the wider player base, they can be self-contained for those that simply want to try out MTG, without having to know any of the official lore or characters.

A standalone Universes Beyond set is a pretty good place to start for the curious.

Magic’s gameplay still has a learning curve, of course, and every set is likely to have cards that require either a knowledgeable friend or a quick Google to decipher. Even so, a standalone Universes Beyond set is a pretty good place to start for the curious. All of which brings us to Marvel Super Heroes, the latest such release.

Super, Thanks for Asking

As an entry point for Marvel fans, this is about as welcoming as it gets. A great heaping helping of heavy hitters from the Marvel universe are here… in card form: Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America, Doctor Doom, The Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Daredevil, Thanos, Black Panther, Elektra, Ant-Man, Loki, Thor, Storm, Wolverine, Jessica Jones and Nick Fury, the list goes on.

The themes and mechanics are built to resonate with these characters and the settings they’re from too. There are Hero and Villain creature types, each with tribal synergy (meaning that heroes often get bonuses for fighting alongside other heroes, and villains have the same). There’s a keyword called Teamwork, which lets you utilise members of your team (i.e. creatures you control) to activate an additional effect.

Some characters - both good and bad - can “Power-up” once per game to trigger a strong additional ability. When “Thanos, the Mad Titan” powers up, for instance, not only does he get a stat bump, but you can choose odd or even and then destroy every other creature with a mana value of the chosen quality. Snap!

A small subset of characters come on dual-faced cards. On one side you might have Bruce Banner, the flipside, The Hulk. On this side Peter Parker, the reverse, Spider-Man. Each has value and you can choose which side to play, but you can also transform them mid-game, so Tony Stark can become Iron Man just in time to turn things around.

And no superhero set would be complete without villainous plots, which is where Plans come into play. These have conditions that typically take multiple turns to be met, but the longer the build-up, the bigger the pay-off. “Doom Reigns Supreme”, for instance, lets you play a couple of your opponent’s cards for free, while “Construct a Cosmic Cube” helps you spawn token creatures and eventually lets you take over and play your opponent’s turn!

Another villainous mechanic in Marvel Super Heroes is “Connive”. This is drawing then discarding a card, and can help you boost a creature’s stats, cycle through your deck, trigger “second card draw” effects, and synergise with discard mechanics.

All these gameplay elements fit neatly into the Marvel world, and the way many of the characters - and their abilities, backstories and gear - have been implemented is pretty fun. Take “Mjölnir, Hammer of Thor”. This Legendary Artifact is powerful in and of itself, but in a cool twist, a creature must be “worthy” in order to equip it. So yes, Captain America can wield Thor’s hammer. As can… Agent Phil Coulson?! Love it.

Captain America can wield Thor’s hammer. As can… Agent Phil Coulson?!

Marvel fans will also dig a lot of the art. It’s cool to see iconic characters and scenes through the eyes of the incredible stable of MTG artists. And as always with Magic there are countless slick variations to collect. The cards featuring source material art - from a wide array of eras and artists - are particularly eye-catching, whether that’s a three panel card showing a scene, a card presented like an actual comic book cover, or just a super slick borderless presentation.

That said, we’re delving into the collectable side of the game here, and that’s not really the purpose of this piece. This article is about whether this set is a good entry point for Marvel fans curious about MTG, and if so, what the best way to get started is. The answer, for me, is yes, and the best way to get started is to ignore the collecting side of things. Why? Because you need to learn to walk before you can run. There’s little point spending money on regular booster packs before you understand the core mechanics, how different colours play, what the different archetypes are and - above all - how to identify strong cards and build a rounded deck.

Where to Start

Learning how to play with as little complexity as possible (although there’ll always be some) is where Jumpstart comes in. The idea is that you buy two Jumpstart booster packs and combine them to create a deck. It’s a low friction way to start playing immediately, and if you’re playing against a friend doing the same thing, chances are the power levels of each deck will be reasonably close. This is a good option to start getting a feel for the game, although you’ll only get very basic instructions in the pack so will still need to consult an online resource (or friend) if you’re completely new.

In fact, if you’re genuinely starting from zero, the Beginner Box should probably be your first purchase. This contains eight Jumpstart half-decks, but crucially, it also contains two tutorial decks with instructions that you literally follow step by step. The tutorial is simple but it introduces the basic turn flow, mechanics and highlights some stuff you should be thinking about in combat. The box also has two playmats so you can see how to arrange your cards, and a rules reference guide to consult if you get stuck on a keyword or interaction… although chances are you’ll still need to Google some stuff as you go.

Once you’ve done the tutorial you can then switch across to Jumpstart and muck around with different colour combos and archetypal strategies. With 51 different Jumpstart booster themes, some are definitely better than others, and you’re very much playing in the shallow end of the pool, but it’s a good way to start and from here you can always pick your favourite Jumpstart deck and modify it.

Once you understand the basic mechanics and gameflow, another good option for beginners is to play Commander using preconstructed decks. Commander is a format where you build a deck of 100 cards, with no duplicates (other than basic lands, which are used to create mana). As a result, every game is completely different, but the twist is that you pick a legendary creature (it can also be a handful of other things) to be your commander, and rather than having to draw that card, it sits to the side from the start and can be summoned into battle from there. Each time it dies you can return it back to that zone, but it costs more to call back into play. It’s a cool concept and the right commander can give you a powerful engine, despite having a deck with so many different cards.

There are four of these preconstructed Commander decks available for Marvel Super Heroes, each with its own theme. Avengers Assemble, for instance, is a red, white and blue deck using Captain America (naturally) or Nick Fury as its commander. Cap buffs himself and other heroes as they enter, as well as letting them attack and defend straight away. Nick Fury, meanwhile, is a commander that lowers the cost of hero spells to cast, as well as letting you sift through your library to find hero cards.

The four colour Fantastic Four deck is even more versatile, as you can choose between any of the Fantastic Four to be your commander. Each has the same condition to activate their core ability, but the effects are all different and so too are their bonus effects. This deck is all about choosing the commander that best suits your play style.

What’s great about Commander is that it’s a friendly format that’s about fun first and foremost. It can also be played with up to six players. Three or four is optimal, though, and adds a whole new layer of strategy and alliance forming as you can choose who to attack or target each turn. The downside of Commander is that these precon decks aren’t exactly cheap, retailing for around AUD $140 each. On the other hand, the Beginner Box is more like AUD $65 and individual Jumpstart booster packs (for which you need two to make a deck) are AUD $12.95 each.

Whichever way you choose to go, there’s a reason Magic has been around for so long - it’s an infinitely playable game, and it’s a great excuse to hang out with friends or go make some new ones at a local Magic event. And for Marvel fans? It seems likely that there’s more Marvel Magic to come. Unlike most Universes Beyond sets, which are one and done, we’ve already had last year’s Spider-Man, and given that release debuted The Soul Stone and this one includes The Mind Stone… well, it seems likely this infinitely playable game could get itself an Infinity Gauntlet. Excelsior!

Marvel Super Heroes is out now and you can find out more about it here.

Cam Shea is a former IGN staffer, now freelance writer and craft beer evangelist.