Pokemon: Pitch Black 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, build and battle sets, blister bundles with special cards for Slowpoke, Binacle, the Gengar evolution line, the Luxray evolution line, the Aurorus evolution line, and the Tyrantrum evolution line. Then, the set is confirmed to have over 115 cards, including six Mega Evolution Ex Pokemon 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 is reportedly getting another Mega Evolution set called Pitch Black, according to a new leak. The set is expected to launch in summer 2026 and be based on another Japan-exclusive Pokemon TCG expansion that was recently treated to 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 those was Pokemon TCG's Perfect Order set that introduced three exclusive promos 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, due to arrive on May 22.

The Clefairy Illustration Rare card from Pokemon TCG's Perfect Order

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By Michael Brandon Ingram

Pokemon TCG: Pitch Black Reportedly Adapts Japanese Abyss Eye Set Featuring Mega Darkrai ex

The ongoing Mega Evolution era is expected to continue with another set called Pitch Black, according to a new report by 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 chase cards may 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 could emerge as one of Pokemon TCG's strongest ex cards in recent years.

Mega Darkrai ex's basic attack, Night Raid, costs two Basic Darkness Energy and deals 110 damage. Its damage doubles, however, if the player has a Benched Pokemon with any damage counters on it. Because that condition is relatively easy to meet, the attack could make the card a strong option through most stages of a match apart from 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
Jul 31	Storm Emerald set	Includes Mega Rayquaza ex
Jul 31	Mega Starter Eevee ex Deck
Jul 31	Mega Starter Meowscarada ex Deck
Jul 31	Mega Starter Zoroark ex Deck
Sep 16	30th Celebration set	Includes new card rarity
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 TCG's Mega Evolution: Chaos Rising expansion launches in North America. PokeBeach reports that Pitch Black will follow suit on July 17. Based on the previous English-language Mega Evolution releases, the upcoming set is likely to be on the smaller side. In addition to 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 unless they are Dark-type, while Malamar is a new version of the Generation 6 Dark/Psychic Pokemon that evolves from Inkay.

GameRant Quiz

The purported English-language name of the Abyss Eye set is not a new invention, considering Darkrai is already known in the series' lore as the "Pitch-Black" Pokemon. The next Western set after Pitch Black will most likely be based on Storm Emerald, a Mega Rayquaza ex-themed expansion that is launching in Japan on July 31.