Pitch Black is coming this summer

This article was updated by Andrea Trama on 2 May 2026, citing the latest announcements for the set. It was first published on April 18.

UPDATE: The Pitch Black release date is officially July 17th, and the product lineup includes: booster packs, bundles, ETBs, build and battle sets, blister packs with special cards for Slowpoke, Binacle, Gengar evolution line, Luxray evolution line, Aurorus evolution line, and Tyrantrum evolution line. The set is then confirmed to have over 115 cards, including six Mega Evolution Ex Pokémon cards (and their respective variants). Mega Darkrai Ex and Mega Excadrill Ex are confirmed, with their respective cards revealed, and the booster pack art also confirms Mega Chandelure Ex and Mega Zeraora Ex.

The original story follows.

Pokemon Trading Card Game according to a new leak, is reportedly getting another Mega Evolution set called Pitch Black. The set is expected to launch in summer 2026 and be based on another Japan exclusive Pokemon TCG expansion that was recently addressed with an official announcement.

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

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Pokemon TCG: Pitch Black reportedly adapts Japanese Abyss Eye Set with Mega Darkrai ex

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

Mega Darkrai ex's basic attack, Night Raid, costs two Basic Darkness Energy and deals 110 damage. However, its damage is doubled if the player has a Benched Pokémon with any damage counters on it. Since that condition is relatively easy to meet, the attack can make the card a strong option through most stages of a match except the early game. Meanwhile, Abyss Eye adds utility by giving Mega Darkrai ex a three-energy instant KO move that works against any opponent affected by a special condition.

Pokemon TCG Japan release schedule

Date (2026)	Product	Notes
May 22	Abyss Eye set	Includes Mega Darkrai ex
July 31	Storm Emerald set	Includes Mega Rayquaza ex
July 31	Mega Starter Eevee ex Deck
July 31	Mega Starter Meowscarada ex Deck
July 31	Mega Starter Zoroark ex Deck
Sep 16	30th celebration set	Includes rare new card
Sep 16	30th Celebration Premium Deck Set Espeon & Umbreon
Oct. 16	30th Celebration Card Sets	Include 27 starter Pokemon.

The Abyss Eye set is scheduled to debut in Japan on May 22, the same day Pokemon TCGs Mega Evolution: Chaos Rising expansion launches in North America. PokeBeach reports that Pitch Black will follow on July 17. Based on the previous English-language Mega Evolution releases, the upcoming set will likely be smaller. In addition to Mega Darkrai ex, The Pokemon Company's latest announcement revealed two other Abyss Eye cards: Dark Bell and Malamar. Dark Bell is a trainer card that confuses both players' active Pokémon unless they are Dark-type, while Malamar is a new version of the Generation 6 Dark/Psychic Pokémon that evolves from Inkay.

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The alleged English-language name of the Abyss Eye set is not a new invention, given that Darkrai is already known in series history as the “Pitch-Black” Pokémon. The next Western set after Pitch Black will most likely be based on Storm Emerald, an ex-themed expansion of Mega Rayquaza launching in Japan on July 31st.