{"id":4447,"date":"2026-06-29T06:27:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T22:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pitch-black-mega-darkrai-july-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T06:27:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T22:27:37","slug":"pokemon-tcg-pitch-black-mega-darkrai-july-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pitch-black-mega-darkrai-july-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pitch Black: Mega Darkrai ex Arrives 17 July"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Pre-release weekend is almost here: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pokemon.com\/us\/pokemon-news\/the-pokemon-tcg-mega-evolution-pitch-black-expansion-arrives-july-17-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pok\u00e9mon TCG: Mega Evolution\u2014Pitch Black<\/a> opens its Build &amp; Battle events at Play! Pok\u00e9mon partner stores from <strong>4 July<\/strong>, with the global release following on <strong>17 July 2026<\/strong>. Leading the expansion is Mega Darkrai ex \u2014 a 280-HP Darkness-type whose signature move can instantly knock out any opponent caught in a special condition, a mechanic already reshaping the Japanese competitive scene since the equivalent set &#8220;Abyss Eye&#8221; dropped there on 22 May.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gt-video\">\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eL6DMkAwzU4\" title=\"Official Pokemon Card Game MEGA Expansion Pack Abyss Eye\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;\" allow=\"accelerometer;clipboard-write;encrypted-media;gyroscope;picture-in-picture;web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><figcaption>Official Abyss Eye \/ Pitch Black expansion announcement (Japanese) \u2014 via \u30dd\u30b1\u30e2\u30f3\u516c\u5f0fYouTube\u30c1\u30e3\u30f3\u30cd\u30eb on YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Mega Darkrai ex Makes Its TCG Debut<\/h2>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/pitch-black-booster-pack-mega-darkrai.png?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Pokemon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black booster pack featuring Mega Darkrai ex\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><figcaption>Image courtesy of The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Pitch Black is the fifth set in the Mega Evolution TCG era, which runs alongside the <em>Pok\u00e9mon Legends: Z-A<\/em> Mega Dimension DLC. Mega Darkrai ex (280 HP) carries two attacks: a damage-scaling first move that punishes Pok\u00e9mon with damage counters on your bench, and &#8220;Abyss Eye&#8221; \u2014 a three-Energy attack that instantly knocks out the opponent&#8217;s Active Pok\u00e9mon if it is Confused, Burned, Poisoned, or otherwise in a special condition. Paired with the new Black Bell Trainer card \u2014 which inflicts Confusion on two of your opponent&#8217;s Pok\u00e9mon at once \u2014 the combo has already been a staple of the Japanese &#8220;Abyss Eye&#8221; format since that set&#8217;s 22 May launch.<\/p>\n<p>Joining Mega Darkrai ex are five more Mega Evolution Pok\u00e9mon ex: <strong>Mega Zeraora ex<\/strong> (Lightning), <strong>Mega Slowbro ex<\/strong> (Psychic), <strong>Mega Chandelure ex<\/strong> (Psychic), and <strong>Mega Excadrill ex<\/strong> (Metal). Singapore collectors already importing from Japan have a head start on knowing the pool \u2014 the English Pitch Black set mirrors Abyss Eye&#8217;s card list with localised text.<\/p>\n<h2>What Is Inside the Pitch Black Expansion?<\/h2>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mega-darkrai-ex-card-abyss-eye.jpg?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Mega Darkrai ex and Malamar cards from the Pitch Black Pokemon TCG expansion\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><figcaption>Image courtesy of The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Pitch Black carries over <strong>115 cards<\/strong> in total, including regular Pok\u00e9mon ex such as Wailord ex, Morpeko ex, Lurantis ex, Tapu Koko ex, and Rampardos ex. Collectors hunting the full set will be targeting:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>11 Illustration Rare<\/strong> Pok\u00e9mon cards<\/li>\n<li><strong>18 Ultra Rare<\/strong> Pok\u00e9mon and Trainer cards<\/li>\n<li><strong>6 Special Illustration Rare<\/strong> Pok\u00e9mon and Supporter cards, including a SIR variant of Mega Chandelure ex<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Mega Darkrai ex (card 048 in the Japanese set) has already driven elevated secondary market prices in Japan, with the SIR and special art variants leading interest. English singles are expected to follow suit once supply unlocks after the 17 July global release.<\/p>\n<h2>Pre-Release Events: Open Packs Early from 4 July<\/h2>\n<p>Play! Pok\u00e9mon partner stores worldwide can sell <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pokemon.com\/us\/pokemon-news\/get-a-pokemon-tcg-mega-evolution-pitch-black-build-battle-box-early\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pitch Black Build &amp; Battle Boxes<\/a> from <strong>4 July through 12 July 2026<\/strong>, giving players a full pre-release window before the official launch. Each Build &amp; Battle Box includes four Pitch Black booster packs, a ready-to-play 40-card deck, and one of four exclusive foil promo cards: Dhelmise, Slowbro, Miraidon, or Bastiodon.<\/p>\n<p>Pre-release events are a relaxed store-format entry point where everyone opens packs and battles with brand-new cards simultaneously \u2014 a good time whether you are a competitive player or picking up the set for the first time. Check with your local card shop on whether they are a registered Play! Pok\u00e9mon venue and whether pre-registration is required, as slots fill quickly for high-demand sets. For more on the Mega Evolution TCG era, see our <a href=\"\/blog\/category\/game-news\/\">Game News archive<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Products and Singapore Availability<\/h2>\n<p>The Pitch Black product wave at launch includes individual booster packs, three-pack blisters, a six-pack Booster Bundle, the Build &amp; Battle Box, and the Elite Trainer Box. A Pok\u00e9mon Center exclusive ETB is also part of the lineup. The set releases globally on <strong>17 July<\/strong>, and local availability is expected at major game retailers and card shops in Singapore around the same date \u2014 SGD pricing is to be confirmed once local stock details are announced.<\/p>\n<p>Given Mega Darkrai ex&#8217;s strong competitive potential and the Mega Evolution series&#8217; consistent sell-through in Singapore, the Elite Trainer Box is the safest balanced buy for players who want pull opportunities and tournament supplies together. Those chasing SIR cards may prefer waiting for the English singles market to settle in the first week post-launch.<\/p>\n<p><!--GT-SCOUT source=\"Web (English)\" theme=\"Pokemon\" flags=\"SGD pricing to be confirmed\"--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pok\u00e9mon TCG Mega Evolution\u2014Pitch Black launches 17 July 2026 led by Mega Darkrai ex. Pre-release Build &#038; Battle events start 4 July at Play! Pok\u00e9mon stores worldwide, Singapore included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4441,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[11],"tags":[520,281,31,63,330],"class_list":["post-4447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-game-news","tag-mega-darkrai","tag-mega-evolution","tag-pokemon","tag-pokemon-tcg","tag-trading-card-game"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/pitch-black-mega-darkrai-key-art.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p13AlF-19J","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4063,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-storm-emeralda-mega-rayquaza-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":4447,"position":0},"title":"Mega Rayquaza Returns to the Pok\u00e9mon TCG \u2014 Storm Emeralda Drops 31 July in Japan","date":"June 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Mega Rayquaza ex headlines Storm Emeralda, the new Pok\u00e9mon TCG MEGA expansion out in Japan on 31 July 2026. 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Here's what Singapore Trainers need to know.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/poke30_booster.webp?fit=656%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3300,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-champions-mobile-launch-june-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":4447,"position":4},"title":"Pok\u00e9mon Champions Mobile Arrives 17 June \u2014 Free to Play on iOS and Android","date":"June 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Pok\u00e9mon Champions goes mobile on 17 June 2026 \u2014 free to play on iOS and Android, with cross-platform battles against Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 players. 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Tune in on Twitch from 10pm SGT and earn a free Blastoise in Pok\u00e9mon Champions, plus drops for TCG Live, GO, and UNITE.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"2026 Pokemon North America International Championships banner","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/pokemon-naic-2026-banner.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4447"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}