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Game News

Pokémon UNITE: Morpeko Launches Tomorrow — ZETA DIVISION Win Worlds 2026

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Morpeko joins Pokémon UNITE tomorrow as a Speedster — and it is arriving on the back of a major moment for the game’s competitive scene. ZETA DIVISION of Japan claimed the 2026 World Championship title in San Francisco, and the celebration came loaded with new roster news: four Pokémon are confirmed for the coming weeks.

ZETA DIVISION Claim the WCS 2026 Title

The Pokémon UNITE World Championship Series 2026 wrapped up at Chase Center in San Francisco on 31 August, with Japan’s ZETA DIVISION defeating European runners-up KOMAÏ 3–1 in the grand final. IGZIST rounded out the top three, also representing Japan. The result was confirmed on the official Pokémon UNITE Asia website, which simultaneously dropped the roster news below.

ZETA DIVISION hold their trophies at the Pokémon UNITE World Championship Series 2026
Image courtesy of Pokémon UNITE

Morpeko Arrives 4 September — Toxtricity, Jolteon and Flareon Follow

Four new playable Pokémon are confirmed for Pokémon UNITE over September and October:

  • Morpeko (Speedster) — live from 4 September 2026. Morpeko switches between Full Belly Mode and Hangry Mode to dart in and out of fights at speed, making it one of the fastest closers on the current roster.
  • Toxtricity (Attacker) — arriving 24 September 2026. A ranged damage-dealer that stacks Poison- and Electric-type area-of-effect debuffs on groups of opponents. Toxtricity was also spotlighted in a Pokémon Horizons × UNITE crossover episode titled “READY GO! Unite Battle!!” earlier this season.
  • Jolteon and Flareon — both arriving in October 2026, completing the full Eeveelution line in Pokémon UNITE.

All four were announced on the official UNITE Asia news post on 31 August.

Morpeko Character Spotlight — via Pokémon UNITE on YouTube

Battle Pass Season 45 and Ranked Match Series 39

September also brings a fresh slate of seasonal content. Battle Pass Season 45 runs from 1 September through 1 October, with Theater Style Holowear for Umbreon as the headliner — a flamboyant theatrical outfit for Eevee’s Dark-type evolution that pairs nicely with the game’s growing Eeveelution roster.

Battle Pass Season 45 in Pokémon UNITE featuring Theater Style Holowear for Umbreon
Image courtesy of Pokémon UNITE

Ranked Match Series 39 kicked off on 1 September on the Theia Sky Ruins map in Kyogre mode, resetting the ladder and giving every player a clean slate to chase Legend Rank before the year is out.

Ranked Match Series 39 begins in Pokémon UNITE on the Theia Sky Ruins (Kyogre) map
Image courtesy of Pokémon UNITE

What This Means for Singapore and SEA Players

Pokémon UNITE is free to play on Nintendo Switch and mobile with no regional lock for Singapore or Southeast Asia. Morpeko’s Unite License will be available in the in-game shop when the character goes live on 4 September. With Jolteon and Flareon to follow in October, the full classic Eeveelution family will soon be playable — plenty to experiment with heading into the year-end ranked season.

For more on Pokémon games, browse our Game News section.

Game News, News

Pokémon GO Gets Friede’s Charmander in Horizons Collab Event

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Pokémon Horizons: The Series and Pokémon GO are crossing over in a special worldwide event that kicks off on 16 September — and it brings Friede’s signature Charmander into the mobile game for the very first time.

Pokémon GO x Pokémon Horizons: The Series collaboration event 2026
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The Anime Episode: Professor Willow Goes to Horizons

Episode 150 of Pokémon Horizons: The Series, titled Hirogaru Sekai, Kimi to GO! (「広がる世界、きみとGO!」 — The Expanding World, With You and GO!), airs on 18 September in Japan. In the episode, Liko and her companions head out on fieldwork alongside Professor Willow from Pokémon GO. The crossover also promises a long-awaited reveal: how Friede first met Charizard.

Charmander wearing Friede's goggles in Pokémon Horizons: The Series anime
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

During the broadcast, Pokémon GO will announce a promotional code that guarantees an encounter with a Charmander wearing Friede’s goggles featuring a Special Background. Singapore fans who cannot watch the Japanese broadcast live should keep an eye on the official Pokémon GO social channels — promo codes like these are typically shared online within minutes of a broadcast.

Pokémon GO collaboration event with Pokémon Horizons: The Series — via Pokémon Asia ENG on YouTube

Pokémon GO Event: Dates, Spawns and Raids (16–22 September)

The Pokémon Horizons: The Series Celebration Event runs worldwide from Wednesday 16 September at 10:00 am local time through to Tuesday 22 September at 8:00 pm local time. Singapore players are fully included — no region lock.

Featured wild spawns are split by time of day. During the day, look out for Fidough, Wattrel, and Chansey; at night, Eevee, Hatenna, and Rockruff will appear more often. Kecleon encounters at PokéStops also increase throughout the event.

Three-star raids feature Charizard wearing Friede’s goggles alongside the Paldea starters’ final forms — Meowscarada, Skeledirge, and Quaquaval. One-star raids bring back Pikachu wearing Cap’s Hat.

Friede’s Charmander — and How to Evolve It

Charmander wearing Friede’s goggles makes its Pokémon GO debut during this event. It can be found in the wild, through Field Research tasks, when using regular Lure Modules, and via the event GO Pass. Collect enough candy and the costume carries through the entire Charmander line: 25 Charmander Candy evolves it into Charmeleon wearing Friede’s goggles, and 100 candy goes all the way to a goggled Charizard.

Event bonuses include double Candy for all catches, one-hour Lure Modules, and bonus Stardust for catching Hatenna and Wattrel. A free GO Pass activates automatically when the event begins, with a paid tier also available.

The full event breakdown is on the official Pokémon GO site. For more Pokémon GO news and upcoming events, check the GameTrader.SG events tracker — and if you’re looking ahead to what’s streaming on 18 September, our Pokémon Horizons Season 3 Netflix guide has the regional details.

News

Pokémon x Adidas 30th Anniversary Sneakers Drop Today

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Three decades of Pokémon. Fifteen pairs of kicks. The Pokémon x adidas Originals 30th Anniversary Collection has begun rolling out from September 1, 2026, with a wider drop through adidas.com and additional stockists following on September 16 and September 22. Whether you’re a sneakerhead, a Trainer, or both, this is one of the biggest fashion collabs of the year — and it’s available globally, including Singapore.

Pokémon x Adidas 30th Anniversary Collection full lineup
Image courtesy of adidas

The Full 15-Pair Pokémon x Adidas Lineup

The collection spans 15 silhouettes — a mix of classic adidas shells and newer performance-inspired models — each themed around a specific Pokémon. Every pair features character-specific colour schemes, co-branded tongue tags, Poké Ball lace accessories, and custom insoles that reference entire evolutionary lines.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s in the drop:

  • adidas Superstar — Pikachu (yellow, KI2857), Pikachu (white, KI2858), Charmander, Charmeleon
  • adidas Pro Model — Pikachu
  • adidas Superstar Vintage — Charizard
  • adidas Samba OG — Mewtwo
  • adidas Handball Spezial — Mewtwo
  • adidas ZX 8000 — Mewtwo
  • adidas F50 Tunit Mega — Rayquaza
  • adidas ZX 500 RS — Rayquaza
  • adidas Adistar Control 5 — Rayquaza, Gastly, Haunter
  • adidas Adistar XLG 2.0 — Gengar

Apparel and accessories drop alongside the footwear, in adult and youth sizing — meaning younger fans in Singapore can also get in on this.

Pikachu, Charmander, and the Kanto Superstar Family

Pokémon x Adidas Pro Model Pikachu KI2862
Image courtesy of adidas

Pikachu leads the charge — unsurprisingly — across three Superstar colourways and a Pro Model, each leaning into Pikachu’s yellow and brown palette with lightning bolt detailing and embroidered character accents. The shell-toe Superstar remains the most accessible entry point, priced from around USD$110 (approximately SGD$145).

The Kanto starter evolutionary line — Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard — gets its own Superstar trilogy. The Charizard Superstar Vintage is a standout: an orange reptile-skin texture across the upper, removable dragon-wing overlays at the eyelets, and a cream shell-toe, coming in at USD$180 (approximately SGD$240). It’s the most premium pair in the collection, and likely the fastest to sell out.

Pokémon x Adidas Superstar Vintage Charizard KI2861
Image courtesy of adidas

Mewtwo, Rayquaza, and the Rare-Type Picks

Pokémon x Adidas Samba OG Mewtwo KI8220
Image courtesy of adidas

Mewtwo gets three pairs — the Samba OG, Handball Spezial, and ZX 8000 — all working in the Psychic-type’s silver-purple palette. The Samba OG Mewtwo (KI8220) is the sleekest of the three, marrying the classic Samba silhouette with a minimal, data-chip-style graphic on the side panel. The ZX 8000 Mewtwo (KI5326) runs at USD$170 (~SGD$225) and adds an Orchard colourway that pops.

Rayquaza’s three-pair lineup — covering the F50 Tunit Mega, ZX 500 RS, and Adistar Control 5 — plays up the Sky High Pokémon’s green-and-black look. The F50 Tunit Mega (KI5325) is shaped like a performance running shoe but it’s purely for the streets; the serpentine green pattern wrapping the midsole is a genuinely bold design call.

Ghost-Type Gang: Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar on the Adistar

Pokémon x Adidas Adistar XLG 2.0 Gengar KJ5609
Image courtesy of adidas

The ghost-type trio of Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar appear across the Adistar range — Control 5 for the first two, XLG 2.0 for Gengar. The Gengar Adistar XLG 2.0 (KJ5609) is arguably the most creative design in the drop: raised moulded side panels form Gengar’s signature wide eyes, the purple upper fades into a grey shadow-like midsole, and the lace bag is shaped like Gengar’s wide grin. For Singapore ghost-type fans, this is the grail of the collection.

Where to Buy in Singapore and How Much to Pay

The first wave hits select adidas retailers from September 1. If you miss today’s launch, the broader drop opens through adidas.com and a wider set of stockists from September 16 and September 22 — so there are multiple windows to grab a pair.

Pricing in USD runs from USD$110 (~SGD$145) for the Superstar silhouettes up to USD$180 (~SGD$240) for the premium Charizard pair. Singapore fans will pay based on adidas’s local SGD pricing, which will be confirmed at checkout on adidas.com. Given how tight Pokémon collabs tend to move, setting up reminders for the September 22 adidas.com drop is a smart play for anyone who doesn’t want to pay resale.

The collection is also available in youth sizing, so parents can hunt matching sets — a very Singapore thing to do. For more Pokémon news and drops, check out our latest gaming news coverage.

Game News

Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale — Armored Mewtwo Returns After Six Years

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This Saturday, Pokémon GO closes out its 2026 GO Fest season with the Mega Finale — and the headline is one trainers have been waiting six years for: Armored Mewtwo is back in raids. The event runs 5–6 September, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, and unlike ticketed GO Fest events earlier this year, it costs nothing to participate.

Armored Mewtwo Returns to Five-Star Raids

Armored Mewtwo dramatic close-up with Pokémon GO Fest 2026 Mega Finale logo
Image courtesy of Niantic / Pokémon GO

Armored Mewtwo — the armour-clad form from the 2019 film Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution (currently streaming on Netflix) — last appeared in Pokémon GO in 2020. Niantic’s official announcement confirms it returns in five-star raids across both event days. One caveat: Shiny Armored Mewtwo will not be available during this event.

When we covered Pokémon GO’s Twilight Trails season starting 8 September, the Mega Finale earned only a brief mention. The full picture has quite a bit more going on.

Mega Mewtwo X and Y Headline the Super Mega Raids

Pokémon GO Fest 2026 Mega Finale official event art featuring various Mega-Evolved Pokémon
Image courtesy of Niantic / Pokémon GO

Alongside Armored Mewtwo in five-star slots, both Mega Mewtwo forms take over the Super Mega Raid tier: Mega Mewtwo X on Saturday and Mega Mewtwo Y on Sunday. Beating either rewards a Mewtwo with a Special Background — useful for collectors and Pokémon HOME enthusiasts. Eight rotating habitats cycle across both days, each featuring different Mega-Evolved Pokémon in habitat-specific raids.

Three New Mega Evolutions — Choose Your Kalos Starter

Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox and Mega Greninja in Pokémon GO Fest 2026 official art
Image courtesy of Niantic / Pokémon GO

The Mega Finale is the debut event for three new Mega Evolutions: Mega Chesnaught (Grass/Fighting), Mega Delphox (Fire/Psychic), and Mega Greninja (Water/Dark). Trainers select one of the three Kalos starters — Chespin, Fennekin, or Froakie — at the start of branching Timed Research, then work toward Mega Evolving their chosen partner. You can only follow one path per account, so choose based on which type suits your battle team.

Free to Play — With an Optional GO Pass Deluxe

Pokémon GO Fest 2026 Mega Finale GO Pass Deluxe avatar shirts — Mega Chesnaught, Delphox and Greninja designs
Image courtesy of Niantic / Pokémon GO

No ticket purchase is required — this is an unticketed worldwide event. The free GO Pass: Mega Finale (available 31 August–6 September) gives enough Mega Energy to Mega Evolve your chosen starter once, plus starter encounters and candy. The paid GO Pass Deluxe: Mega Finale (US$14.99, approximately SGD $20) adds increased shiny encounter rates, bonus candy and XL candy from Mega Raids, extra Mega Energy to reach Super Max Level, and the starter-themed avatar shirts shown above — one matching whichever partner you chose.

Event-wide bonuses apply regardless of pass tier: unlimited Remote Raid Passes during the event weekend and a CP boost for all Mega-Evolved Pokémon. During the Mega Ascension lead-up week (31 August–4 September), Remote Raid Pass usage is uncapped up to 30 per day — useful if you’ve been saving passes.

Full habitat schedules and the complete event breakdown are on the official Pokémon GO Mega Finale page. Once the Mega Finale wraps on 6 September, the new Twilight Trails season begins 8 September — see our Twilight Trails guide for what’s coming next. For more Pokémon news, browse our news section.

Game News

Pokémon TCG ex★ Announced — Aura Seeker Arrives November 27

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Singapore barely had time to celebrate its Pokémon Worlds 2027 hosting win before The Pokémon Company dropped another bombshell at the same closing ceremony: the main TCG is entering a brand new era. Announced on 30 August during the Pokémon World Championships 2026 close in San Francisco, the incoming ex★ (ex Star) series will succeed the current Mega Evolution block — and its debut set, Aura Seeker, lands in Japan on 27 November 2026 with one of the most talked-about cards in the game’s recent history at its centre.

NEW ex★ Series & Mega Lucario Z ex Reveal | Pokémon Worlds 2026 — via Pokémon Asia ENG on YouTube

From Mega to ex★ — What’s Changing in the TCG

Mega Lucario Z ex card revealed at Pokémon World Championships 2026 closing ceremony
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The Mega Evolution block that kicked off in early 2025 with the Ascended Heroes set has been building toward this pivot. The ex★ series doesn’t bin Mega cards entirely — the Mega Evolution era will run its course through upcoming sets including Delta Reign (November, English) and the special crossover MEGA x MEGA Parade — but the ex★ branding signals the next design chapter.

The first Pokémon confirmed for the ex★ era are the Johto Legendary Beasts: Raikou, Suicune, and Entei. They appeared only as a teaser silhouette during the Worlds ceremony, with The Pokémon Company noting more details will follow. Separately, card reveals from Aura Seeker show two additional ex cards set for the bridging Mega era before ex★ launches properly.

Mega Lucario Z ex — A New Kind of Lucario

Mega Lucario Z ex card — 330 HP, Aura Seeker Ability, Dancing Fist attack
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Headlining Aura Seeker is Mega Lucario Z ex (card number 057/078), the first Z-form Mega Evolution to appear in the physical TCG. It made its in-game debut in the Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Mega Dimension DLC last year, and the card translates that power well:

  • Type: Metal — Stage 1 (evolves from Riolu)
  • HP: 330
  • Ability — Aura Seeker: Once per turn while in the Active Spot, search your deck for a Supporter card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your deck.
  • Attack — Dancing Fist (120+): If the opponent’s Active Pokémon is a Pokémon ex, this attack does 120 extra damage.
  • Mega Evolution ex rule: Opponent takes 3 Prize cards when Knocked Out.

The Supporter-search Ability is the real headline. Reliable Supporter access every turn while Mega Lucario Z ex sits active can create exceptionally consistent setups — and the 240 effective damage against ex Pokémon at two Energy has the competitive community already paying close attention ahead of the November release.

Sigilyph ex and the Aura Seeker Set

Sigilyph ex card from Aura Seeker set (Japanese) — 031/078 M7
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The second ex card confirmed for Aura Seeker is Sigilyph ex (031/078), and its Ability is a direct foil to Mega evolution decks: Mega Protector prevents all damage to Sigilyph ex from opponent’s Mega Evolution Pokémon ex attacks. Its Power Cyclone attack deals 140 and moves an Energy to a Benched Pokémon, enabling flexible retreats. In a format currently defined by big Mega attackers, Sigilyph ex could carve out a genuine niche as a tech pick.

The full set clocks in at 78 cards (set code M7 in Japan). Booster packs and box products have not yet been detailed for the international release.

Release Timeline: Japan in November, English in 2027

Aura Seeker hits Japanese shelves on 27 November 2026, the same date as reported by Wargamer and backed up by trademark filings earlier this year. The English-language edition is expected in January 2027, though an official confirmation date is still pending from The Pokémon Company International.

Before Aura Seeker arrives, the English calendar still has two stops: 30th Celebration (16 September, worldwide simultaneous launch) and Mega Evolution: Delta Reign (6 November, headlined by Mega Rayquaza ex). It is a packed final quarter for collectors.

What Singapore TCG Fans Should Know

Singapore has a thriving Pokémon TCG scene, with local League events, regional qualifiers, and dedicated import shops keeping the community well-supplied. For players here:

  • Japanese import: Aura Seeker packs from Japan will reach SG import stores in late November or early December. Expect standard import pricing; exact SGD figures will vary by retailer.
  • English release: Likely January 2027 via major game and hobby retailers. No Singapore-specific launch date has been confirmed.
  • Competitive relevance: The ex★ era is expected to roll out properly in spring 2027, with early ex★ cards likely legal in the format from that point. The Asia-Pacific competitive season that leads to Pokémon Worlds 2027 in Singapore next August will play out largely under the current Mega era rules, so Aura Seeker cards — including Mega Lucario Z ex — should be legal for competitive play well before the home-soil championship arrives.

The Legendary Beasts teaser and the ex★ branding suggest The Pokémon Company has a full series arc planned. Watch the official Pokémon website and Nintendo Insider for the next wave of card reveals as the November release approaches.

Manga Anime, News

Pokémon Tales: Sirfetch’d & Pichu Is Coming to Disney+ in 2027

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Aardman Animations — the studio behind Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep — is bringing Pokémon to Disney+ in a brand-new stop-motion series. Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu was unveiled on 28 August at Pokémon XP, a fan experience event held alongside the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, with an exclusive teaser trailer and a 2027 Disney+ launch window confirmed.

Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu | Teaser Trailer — via Aardman on YouTube

What Is Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu?

The series follows Sirfetch’d and Pichu — an unlikely duo — on a quest to help and protect Pokémon across the Galar region. Their missions rarely go as planned, but every blunder and rivalry only strengthens their bond. Most notably, the show is told entirely from the Pokémon’s point of view: there are no human leads, and neither Sirfetch’d nor Pichu says a single word. Think Shaun the Sheep‘s wordless physical comedy applied to the world of Pokémon Sword & Shield — a formula the teaser suggests will work beautifully.

The cast of supporting Pokémon includes Obstagoon (set up as the main antagonist), Wooloo, Falinks, Galarian Farfetch’d, Karrablast, Hatterene, Alcremie and Escavalier, with the Crown Tundra region also appearing as a backdrop. It’s shaping up to be a love letter to the Galar generation of fans.

Pichu and Sirfetch'd, the stars of Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Aardman

Aardman Brings Galar to Life in Stop-Motion Clay

The creative team behind the series is strong. Tom Parkinson directs, with Nat McKay as Creative Director and James Young leading model-making. Pokémon’s director of original animation, Phil Rynda, is also on the project — as he described it, “These stories, full of adventure and heroism, told from the Pokémon perspective, are more exciting through Aardman’s lens.”

Disney is clearly backing this as a premium property. Ayo Davis, President of Disney Kids & Family, noted in the announcement: “Pokémon has that rare ability to mean something to longtime fans while continuing to feel completely relevant to young audiences today.” The series will air on Disney XD and stream exclusively on Disney+, under a global distribution deal between Disney and The Pokémon Company International.

Wooloo in the Galar countryside — still from the Pokémon Tales teaser trailer
Still from Aardman’s official teaser trailer

What Singapore Pokémon Fans Need to Know

No specific premiere date has been set beyond 2027, and no Singapore-specific schedule has been announced yet. The deal is described as a global distribution agreement, so Disney+ Singapore subscribers should be covered when the series arrives — no import streaming required.

For fans who can’t wait, there’s already something Pokémon to watch on Disney+: 22 episodes of the original 1997–98 Pokémon: The Beginning series have just arrived on the platform as part of the same Disney+ deal — a nice bonus for anyone feeling nostalgic for Ash Ketchum’s earliest adventures while waiting for Sirfetch’d and Pichu’s 2027 debut.

Stay tuned to GameTrader’s anime coverage for a confirmed premiere date as 2027 draws closer.

Game News

Pokémon TCG Pocket: Team Rocket’s Ambition Is Live — All the New ex Cards and Events

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Team Rocket is taking over Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. The Team Rocket’s Ambition expansion is live right now — and it brings Giovanni’s legendary bird trio, nefarious Trainer cards, and over a month’s worth of events packed with free rewards for Singapore players who are still grinding the Pocket app.

Prepare for Trouble: What’s in Team Rocket’s Ambition

Team Rocket's Articuno ex card — HP 130, Ice Wing 40, Hailstorm 130
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

This is the B4a expansion — a themed booster pack rather than a full-series update — which means you pull from a single, tightly curated pool of cards all centred on Team Rocket. The three headline ex Pokémon are the Legendary Birds reimagined with the iconic R-mark branding: Team Rocket’s Articuno ex, Team Rocket’s Zapdos ex, and Team Rocket’s Moltres ex. Alongside them you’ll find Team Rocket’s Mewtwo, Lapras, Houndour, Arbok, Persian, Marowak, and Tinkaton — plus Trainer cards that lean hard into Team Rocket’s scheming identity.

Pokémon TCG Pocket: Team Rocket’s Ambition | Official Trailer — via Pokémon Asia ENG on YouTube

The Three Legendary Bird ex Cards, Broken Down

Team Rocket's Articuno ex, Zapdos ex, and Moltres ex cards side by side
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

These are the pulls you’ll be chasing, and each one has a distinct role in the app’s battle meta:

  • Team Rocket’s Articuno ex (Water, 130 HP) — Ice Wing hits for 40; Hailstorm hits for 130 and splashes 20 damage to every benched Pokémon your opponent controls. At a glance this is a bench-punishing water pivot that rewards wide setups.
  • Team Rocket’s Zapdos ex (Lightning, 120 HP) — Electro Ball for 40, then Thunderclaw for 90 and an extra 30 to a benched Pokémon that already has damage on it. Stack chips from Hailstorm first, then clean up with Thunderclaw — the two cards play well together.
  • Team Rocket’s Moltres ex (Fire, 130 HP) — Heat Charged is a coin-flip Energy accelerator; Netherwing hits for 130 at the cost of discarding an Energy. Fire decks that have struggled with Energy recovery may find Moltres the glue they needed.

Other Team Rocket Cards and Trainers to Know

Team Rocket's Lapras card — Ruthless Whirlpool 40+
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Beyond the ex cards, Team Rocket’s Lapras is an early standout — its Ruthless Whirlpool attack does 40+ damage, bumping by another 40 if this Pokémon has more Energy attached than the opponent’s Active. In slower control builds, that conditional damage spike is very real. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo is the Psychic wild card to watch, and Team Rocket’s Tinkaton offers an unusual Steel-type entry point for the faction.

On the Trainer card side, Team Rocket’s Boss should see play as a disruption pivot — the card lets you target a specific benched Pokémon, pulling it to the Active position whether your opponent likes it or not. Team Rocket’s Thieving Machine and Team Rocket’s Master Plan round out the suite, both building on the theme of resource denial and tempo denial that Team Rocket decks have classically embraced. New Team Rocket’s Shady Tickets will also appear as special event rewards — they’re tied to mystery redemptions, so hang on to them.

A Month of Events and Free Rewards

Events tied to Team Rocket’s Ambition run through 28 September 2026, so there’s plenty of time to top up your collection even if you can’t grind daily:

  • Battle missions reward Team Rocket’s Shady Tickets — keep an eye on what they unlock as the event unfolds.
  • Solo battles let you farm B-series vol. 12 promo packs, which include a promo version of Team Rocket’s Lapras.
  • Wonder Pick event features Fennekin and Meowstic promo cards.
  • The Great Puzzle Challenge runs on a dedicated campaign site — solve the web-based puzzles to earn serial codes that drop pack hourglasses directly into your account.
  • From 1 September, new covers and backdrops featuring Giovanni and Persian become available — the noir-style artwork is worth collecting even if you just play casually.

Team Rocket’s Ambition is available in the Pokémon TCG Pocket app globally as of today. If you’re heading to the Pokémon Worlds 2026 watch party this weekend, there’s no shortage of Pocket pulls to chase between matches.

Manga Anime

Pokémon Horizons Season 3 Finale Hits Netflix 18 September — Will Singapore Get It?

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The end of an era is almost here. Pokémon Horizons: Season 3 — Rising Hope Part 4, the final batch of episodes in Liko and Roy’s journey, lands on Netflix on September 18, 2026. The official announcement came from The Pokémon Company on August 19, and the clip released alongside it gives a clear signal: the final showdown against Laquium and the Explorers is everything the series has been building toward.

Pokémon Horizons Season 3 Rising Hope Part 4 — Netflix September 18 2026 key art
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The Final Battle: What We Know About Part 4

Part 4 picks up exactly where things left off — Liko, Roy, Dot, and the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers are out of time and out of road. Laquium and the Explorers are the last obstacle standing, and the crew is going to need every bond they’ve built across three seasons to pull through. According to the official synopsis, Terastallization and Mega Evolution are both in play, giving the team’s Pokémon an edge they’ve never had before.

The preview clip released on the official Pokémon YouTube channel — “Cheer with a Song!” — gives us a taste of what’s coming without tipping the finale’s hand too much. What it does show: the emotional stakes are high, and the animation has the polish the series has been building toward since its January 2026 premiere on Netflix.

Cheer with a Song! — Pokémon Horizons: Season 3—Rising Hope Part 4 | Official Clip — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel

Kilowattrel, Skeledirge — and One Crazed Moltres

The preview footage teases Roy’s Kilowattrel taking centre stage, alongside what appears to be a newly-evolved Skeledirge — a major evolution moment for a Pokémon that’s been part of the team since the early episodes. The adversary? A Moltres driven to its limits by Laquium’s influence, which should make for one of the season’s most visually striking battles if Horizons’ track record holds.

Pokémon Horizons Season 3 Part 4 — Captain Pikachu in the finale
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Captain Pikachu is back alongside the crew for the finale, which should delight anyone who’s followed Friede’s arc through the three-season run. The bond between Friede and Captain Pikachu has been one of the quiet emotional threads of Horizons, and the finale looks set to pay that off.

Will Singapore Netflix Get Part 4?

Here’s the question Singapore fans have been asking since the announcement: will the Singapore Netflix library actually include Part 4?

The honest answer is: not confirmed yet. When Part 3 dropped in June, Singapore and most of Asia were notably absent from the regional rollout — the batch was initially available for the US, LATAM, Nordics, and select other markets, leaving SG fans out in the cold at launch. The September 18 announcement for Part 4 has the same pattern: the official Pokémon.com post references Netflix broadly, without specifying a full list of regions.

Pokémon Horizons Season 3 Part 4 — Liko in the season finale
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Singapore fans: check your Netflix app on or after September 18. If the previous pattern repeats, the episodes may take longer to reach our region — or may not be included in the same day-one rollout. If you want the safest bet, catch up on Parts 1–3 now (which are available on Netflix SG) so you’re ready if Part 4 does land here. Follow our anime coverage and we’ll update when the SG availability situation becomes clearer.

Game News

Pokemon GO World Championships 2026: New Pikachu & Featured Moves Guide

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Two brand-new costumed Pikachu are debuting in Pokémon GO right now, and a handful of highly sought-after featured moves — Meteor Mash, Hydro Cannon, Blast Burn — are only days away from being locked again. The Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 in-game event runs until August 30, 2026, giving Singapore players a clear window to act before it closes.

PokémonXP & 2026 Pokémon World Championships | Official Trailer — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel

Two New Costumed Pikachu — Both Available as Shiny

The event brings a pair of exclusive limited Pikachu variants to the game for the first time:

  • Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit — available now through August 28 in one-star raids and wild encounters. Shiny form available.
  • World Championships 2026 Pikachu — debuts when the main championship phase begins on August 28, running until August 30. Also available as Shiny.

Both costumes are brand new to Pokémon GO and have shiny availability, so catching a shiny version of either would be a genuine flex in your collection.

Cosmog spacesuit Pikachu debut in Pokemon GO World Championships 2026
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Featured Moves: Evolve These Before August 30

This is the most time-sensitive part of the event. Evolving the following Pokémon before it ends will teach them exclusive charged or fast moves — some of the best in their category for raids and PvP:

  • Hydro Cannon: Feraligatr (evolve Totodile), Greninja (evolve Froakie), Inteleon (evolve Sobble)
  • Blast Burn: Incineroar (evolve Litten)
  • Frenzy Plant: Decidueye (evolve Rowlet line)
  • Meteor Mash: Metagross (evolve Beldum)
  • Aura Sphere: Togekiss
  • Synchronoise: Gardevoir, Gallade
  • Rage Fist: Annihilape (evolve Primeape)
  • Body Slam: Lickilicky
  • Brutal Swing: Hydreigon
  • Powder Snow: Walrein
  • Icicle Spear: Walrein
  • Shadow Claw: Alolan Sandslash
  • Air Cutter: Corviknight

Of these, Meteor Mash Metagross is the most universally useful — it remains one of the game’s best steel-type attackers in five-star raid content. Hydro Cannon on all three water starters is similarly strong. If you have any Beldum or Totodile candy saved up, now is the time to use it. The Worlds event wild pool features Totodile, Froakie, Litten, Beldum (rare), and Togetic (rare) during the main championship phase from August 28.

Pokemon GO World Championships 2026 featured wild spawns and raid bosses
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

GO Battle League: 75 Battles a Day

For the full duration of the event, the daily GO Battle League cap triples: you can now play up to 15 sets per day — 75 total battles instead of the usual 25. Pokémon you encounter through GO Battle League also have wider IV variance, improving your odds of finding high-IV picks for your ranked roster.

Whether you are pushing Great League, Ultra League, or Master League, this is the best window in months to accumulate wins and climb the ranks before the season ends. Singapore players who have been holding off on their daily PvP grind should take full advantage while this bonus is active.

Wild Spawns, Raids, and When Each Phase Runs

The event runs in two overlapping phases. During the PokémonXP phase (through August 28), wild encounters include Ralts, Sobble, Numel, Spheal, Drifloon, and Elgyem — with Deino appearing as a rare find. One-star raids feature Cosmog-Spacesuit Pikachu and Impidimp.

When the main Worlds phase begins August 28, the wild pool shifts: Alolan Sandshrew, Mankey, Lickitung, Totodile, Froakie, Litten, and Wooper appear regularly, with rare encounters of Togetic and Beldum. Both costumed Pikachu are available in one-star raids through August 30.

Pokemon GO 2026 World Championships official event promo
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

GO Pass Bonuses — Best on August 29 and 30

GO Pass holders get additional perks throughout the event. Trainers at Rank 10 earn 2× Stardust on all catches; Rank 20 and above also receive an extra 3,000 XP per raid. Deluxe GO Pass holders earn up to two free Raid Passes per day.

On August 29–30, the GO Points earning cap is lifted entirely — anything you do during those two days counts toward your total without a ceiling, making them the most efficient days to raid and battle.

The Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 event ends at 8:00 PM local time on August 30. For background on PokémonXP and the Pokopia Cloud Island opening, see our earlier coverage. Full event details and bonuses are on the official Pokémon GO page. More Pokémon GO guides are on GameTrader.SG.