Pokémon TCG · Mega Evolution Series
Mega Evolution—
Pitch Black
The fifth expansion in the Mega Evolution Series lands worldwide on July 17, 2026 — bringing Mega Darkrai ex, Mega Zeraora ex, Mega Chandelure ex, and Mega Excadrill ex into the Pokémon TCG for the first time.
What You Need to Know
Darkness Falls on the TCG
Announced on April 30, 2026, Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution—Pitch Black is the fifth main set in the ongoing Mega Evolution Series. It draws directly from the Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension DLC — released December 10, 2025 — which introduced 19 new Mega Evolutions to the video game. The TCG expansion mirrors Japan’s Abyss Eye set, continuing a pattern of smaller, focused English releases that closely follow their Japanese counterparts. Darkrai is known in the Pokémon lore as the “Pitch-Black Pokémon,” a Mythical Dark-type known for causing nightmares — and the set name nods directly to that character.
The May 2026 gaming calendar has been busy: The Game Tribune covered Valve’s Steam Controller reveal and the Arc Raiders Riven Tides update earlier this month.
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The Four Headliners
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“Trainers can discover new cards, including Mega Darkrai ex, which emerges from the shadows with commanding presence, and Mega Zeraora ex, which strikes back with electrifying power. The expansion also features Mega Chandelure ex and Mega Excadrill ex, each bringing dynamic strategies and powerful battles to the forefront.”
— The Pokémon Company International, Official Media Alert, April 30, 2026What’s in the Set
Rarity Breakdown
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Six Mega Evolution Pokémon ex — confirmed by The Pokémon Company International. Four are named (Darkrai, Zeraora, Chandelure, Excadrill) with two additional Mega ex cards yet to be revealed ahead of release. Based on the Japanese Abyss Eye set, these are expected to include Pokémon from the Mega Dimension DLC roster.
11 Illustration Rare Pokémon cards — a consistent count matching previous sets in the Mega Evolution Series. IRs feature detailed, full-art alternative illustrations that are popular with collectors. Cards expected to mirror the Abyss Eye set include Slowpoke, Slowbro, Drilbur, Inkay, Malamar, Nickit, Thievul, Zarude, and Chi-Yu among others.
18 Ultra Rare Pokémon and Trainer cards. The Pokémon Company confirmed these include Pokémon ex with silhouettes of their base forms in the artwork. Ultra Rares cover both Pokémon and Trainer cards, and this count is consistent across the Mega Evolution Series sets so far.
Six Special Illustration Rare Pokémon and Supporter cards. SIRs are the top collectible tier, featuring full-bleed, panoramic artwork. The Zarude SIR has been noted as a highlight: a promo variant with Pokémon Center ETB-exclusive stamp has already been revealed ahead of the July launch, with standard artwork in the regular Elite Trainer Box.
More than 20 Trainer cards in the set, per official confirmation. Expected to include the Dark Bell item card and Shadow Energy special energy card, based on the Japanese Abyss Eye set that Pitch Black closely mirrors.
Plan Ahead
Key Dates
Available In
How to Get Pitch Black
Build & Battle boxes for Prerelease events are also part of the confirmed product lineup. A Booster Box and Booster Bundle round out the full product range, per The Pokémon Company International.
The Bigger Picture
Where Pitch Black Fits
Pitch Black is the fifth set in the Mega Evolution Series, following Phantasmal Flames, Perfect Order, Ascended Heroes, and most recently Chaos Rising (May 22, 2026) — which featured Mega Greninja ex, Mega Floette ex, Mega Pyroar ex, and Mega Dragalge ex. Like its predecessors, Pitch Black is a close adaptation of a Japanese set, Abyss Eye, continuing a strategy of smaller, more frequent English releases that mirror Japan’s output. All sets in this era are tied to content from the Pokémon Legends: Z-A video game and its Mega Dimension DLC. Pitch Black is specifically the first English set to draw from the Mega Dimension storyline rather than the base Z-A game.
2026 has been a packed year for gaming. Earlier this year, The Game Tribune covered Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced landing in July, Sony’s 30-day DRM licence changes affecting digital game ownership, and Microsoft’s Game Pass price cut and rebrand.