Pitch Black is coming this summer

This article was updated by Andrea Trama on May 2, 2026 with reference to recent announcements for the set. It was first published on April 18.

Update: The release date for Pitch Black is officially July 17, and the product selection includes: Booster Packs, Bundles, ETB, Construction and Battle Sets, Blister Bundles with exclusive cards for Slowpoke, Binacle, Gengar evolution line, Luxray evolution line, Aurorus evolution line, and Tyrum evolution line. Subsequently, the set is confirmed to contain over 115 cards, including six Mega Evolution X Pokémon cards (and their respective variants). Mega Darkrai Ex and Mega Excadrill Ex have been confirmed, with their respective cards revealed, and booster pack art also confirms Mega Chandelur Ex and Mega Xeraora Ex.

The original story is as follows.

Pokemon trading card game According to a new leak, it's reportedly getting another Mega Evolution set called Pitch Black. The set is expected to launch in summer 2026 and will be based on another Japan-exclusive Pokemon TCG An extension that was recently treated in an official announcement.

The current Mega Evolution era has already produced three smaller English sets that are closely modeled after their Japanese releases. was the most recent of them Pokemon TCGThe Perfect Order set that featured three exclusive promos and 121 other cards, all officially launched on March 27, 2026. A fourth English-language set was announced as Chaos Rising, which will arrive on May 22.

related to

Pokemon TCG Live is giving away more free packs and full-art cards

Pokemon TCG Live releases a brand new code for the digital trading card game, offering players free packs and stunning full art cards.

Pokemon TCG: Pitch Black reportedly adapts the Japanese Abyss Eye set featuring Mega Darkrai East

The ongoing Mega Evolution era is expected to continue with another set called Pitch Black, according to a new report from PokéBeach. The English-language release is said to be based on the Abyss Eye expansion, which was announced by The Pokemon Company on April 17 in Japan. While the full Abyss Eye card list has yet to be revealed, one of its chess cards could be Mega Darkrai X, which has already been confirmed for the set. With its hard-hitting Night Raid attack and instant-KO Abyss Eye ability, Mega Darkrai can appear as one of the former. Pokemon TCGStrongest pre cards in recent years.

Mega Darkrai East's basic attack, Night Raid, costs two basic Darkness energy and deals 110 damage. However, if the player has a benched Pokemon then its damage is doubled. Because that condition is relatively easy to fulfill, the attack can make the card a strong option in many stages of the game, except for the early game. Meanwhile, Abyss Eye adds utility to Mega Darkrai X by giving it a three-energy instant-KO move that works against any opponent affected by the special condition.

Pokemon TCG Japan Release Schedule

date (2026)	production	notes
May 22	Abyss Eye set	Includes Mega Darkrai East
July 31st	Storm emerald set	Includes Mega Requaza East
July 31st	Mega Starter Eevee East Deck
July 31st	Mega Starter Meowscarada East Deck
July 31st	Mega Starter Zoroark East Deck
September 16	30th Celebration Set	Includes new card rarity
September 16	30th Celebration Premium Deck Set Aspen and Umbreon
October 16	30th Anniversary Card Set	Includes 27 starter Pokemon.

The Abyss Eye set will debut in Japan on the same day, May 22 Pokemon TCGThe Mega Evolution: Chaos Rising expansion began in North America. PokeBeach reports that Pitch Black will follow suit on July 17. Based on previous English-language Mega Evolution releases, the upcoming set is likely to be on the smaller side. Mega Darkrai Ex, The Pokemon Company's recent announcement revealed two other Abyss Eye cards: Dark Bell and Malamar. Dark Bell is a trainer card that confuses both players' active Pokemon As long as They are Dark-type, while Malamar is a new version of the Generation 6 Dark/Psychic Pokemon that evolves from Ink.

GameRant Quiz

Easy (15 seconds) Medium (10 seconds) Hard (5 seconds) Permadeath (5 seconds)

The supposed English language name of the Abyss Eye set is not a new invention, Darkrai is already known in the lore of the series as a “pitch-black” Pokémon. The next western set after Pitch Black will likely be based on Storm Emerald, the Mega Rayquaza pre-themed expansion that launches in Japan on July 31st.