{"id":6646,"date":"2026-07-28T14:21:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T06:21:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pocket-3gb-update-hourglasses-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T14:21:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T06:21:45","slug":"pokemon-tcg-pocket-3gb-update-hourglasses-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pocket-3gb-update-hourglasses-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket Gets a 3.5 GB Overhaul Tonight \u2014 Grab Your 36 Free Pack Hourglasses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Before Mega Rayquaza ex touches down in Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket tomorrow, the app needs a significant tune-up \u2014 and tonight is when you should get it done. The Pok\u00e9mon Company has confirmed that a <strong>3.5 GB mandatory update drops on 29 July 2026<\/strong>, and failing to grab it over Wi-Fi tonight means you could be staring at a loading bar when the Ruler of the Skies packs go live at 9 AM SGT tomorrow.<\/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\/W_s8I736G2k\" title=\"Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket: Ruler of the Skies | Official Trailer\" 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>Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket: Ruler of the Skies | Official Trailer \u2014 via The Official Pok\u00e9mon YouTube channel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>A 3.5 GB Update \u2014 But Your App Won&#8217;t Balloon in Size<\/h2>\n<p>The update is the largest single patch Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket has seen since launch, but The Pok\u00e9mon Company has been quick to clarify what it actually means for your device. The 3.5 GB download is an <strong>upgrade to the game&#8217;s underlying development environment (Unity)<\/strong> \u2014 existing data files are overwritten rather than stacked on top, so your total app footprint won&#8217;t grow by the full 3.5 GB. Think of it less as new content and more as replacing the engine block while keeping the bodywork.<\/p>\n<p>That said, 3.5 GB is still a chunky download on a mobile connection. The developers explicitly recommend <strong>queuing the update over Wi-Fi tonight<\/strong> to avoid data charges and to make sure you&#8217;re not scrambling during tomorrow morning&#8217;s expansion launch window.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mega-rayquaza-ex-card-ruler-of-the-skies.png?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Mega Rayquaza ex card in Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket Ruler of the Skies\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><figcaption>Image courtesy of The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>36 Free Pack Hourglasses \u2014 Don&#8217;t Miss the Claim Window<\/h2>\n<p>In appreciation for the inconvenience, <strong>The Pok\u00e9mon Company is handing out 36 Pack Hourglasses<\/strong> to all players. You&#8217;ll find them waiting in your Gifts menu once you&#8217;ve installed the update. The claim deadline is <strong>30 August 2026<\/strong>, so you have a month to remember to tap the button \u2014 but you do need to update first, so don&#8217;t procrastinate.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty-six hourglasses is meaningful. Each hourglass accelerates the pack-opening timer by one hour, so the bundle shaves 36 hours off your wait \u2014 essentially a free pack&#8217;s worth of hourglasses for the new expansion&#8217;s launch window.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mega-metagross-ex-card-ruler-of-the-skies.png?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Mega Metagross ex card in Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket Ruler of the Skies\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><figcaption>Image courtesy of The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>What&#8217;s Waiting on the Other Side: Ruler of the Skies<\/h2>\n<p>Once the update is installed and the hourglasses are in your pocket, <a href=\"\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pocket-ruler-of-the-skies-launch-july-2026\/\">the Ruler of the Skies expansion<\/a> opens for business at 9 AM SGT on 30 July. Headlining the set is Mega Rayquaza ex \u2014 a 180 HP Basic with the Mega Burst attack (discard all Fire and Lightning Energy attached, deal 50 damage per Energy discarded). Alongside it come Mega Metagross ex, Mega Gallade ex, and limited-event-exclusive Mega Houndoom ex and Mega Lucario ex.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ruler-of-the-skies-mega-evolution-cards.jpg?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Ruler of the Skies Mega Evolution cards including Mega Rayquaza, Metagross and Gallade\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><figcaption>Image courtesy of The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The expansion also ships with a revamped pull guarantee and the new deck-sharing system via 2D pattern codes \u2014 all covered in our <a href=\"\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pocket-ruler-of-the-skies-launch-july-2026\/\">full expansion guide<\/a>. For tonight: connect to Wi-Fi, let the 3.5 GB update run, and wake up ready to open packs. Check out our other <a href=\"\/blog\/category\/game-news\/\">game news coverage<\/a> for ongoing Pocket updates.<\/p>\n<p><!--GT-SCOUT source=\"Web (English)\" theme=\"Pokemon\" flags=\"none\"--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A mandatory 3.5 GB update hits Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket on 29 July ahead of the Ruler of the Skies launch \u2014 download over Wi-Fi tonight and claim 36 free Pack Hourglasses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":6642,"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":[849,399,31,354],"class_list":["post-6646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-game-news","tag-free-update","tag-mobile-games","tag-pokemon","tag-pokemon-tcg-pocket"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ruler-of-the-skies-key-art.png?fit=1439%2C809&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p13AlF-1Jc","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3864,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/mega-rayquaza-pokemon-tcg-pocket-storm-emeralda-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":6646,"position":0},"title":"Mega Rayquaza Lands in Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket and the Card Game \u2014 July 2026","date":"June 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Mega Rayquaza arrives in Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket's Ruler of the Skies on 30 July and in Japanese physical set Storm Emeralda on 31 July \u2014 a franchise first. Here's what Singapore players 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\/mega-rayquaza-tcg-pocket-2026.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6487,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pocket-ruler-of-the-skies-launch-july-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":6646,"position":1},"title":"Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket: Ruler of the Skies Drops 30 July SGT \u2014 Mega Rayquaza ex Leads the Charge","date":"July 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket's Ruler of the Skies expansion arrives 30 July SGT with Mega Rayquaza ex, Mega Gallade ex, new deck sharing via QR codes, and a guaranteed pull upgrade for Singapore players.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/pokemon-tcg-pocket-ruler-of-the-skies.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4202,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pocket-everyday-wonders-june-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":6646,"position":2},"title":"Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket: Everyday Wonders Launches 30 June \u2014 Mega Diancie ex, Cosy Cards, July Events","date":"June 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket's Everyday Wonders expansion launches 30 June at 9am SGT \u2014 featuring Mega Diancie ex, Dedenne ex, Pikachu, Snorlax, Piplup and a packed July events calendar for Singapore players.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/pokemon-tcg-pocket-everyday-wonders-key-art.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4063,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-storm-emeralda-mega-rayquaza-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":6646,"position":3},"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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Open now on iOS and Android.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ptcgp-everyday-wonders-banner.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4669,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/pokemon-tcg-pitch-black-july-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":6646,"position":5},"title":"Pok\u00e9mon TCG: Pitch Black Launches July 17 \u2014 Mega Darkrai Leads Four New Mega ex","date":"July 2, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Pok\u00e9mon TCG: Mega Evolution\u2014Pitch Black arrives July 17 with over 115 cards and four new Mega ex Pok\u00e9mon. Prerelease events at Singapore retailers start this Friday, July 4.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ptcg-pitch-black-expansion-banner.jpg?fit=578%2C325&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6646"}],"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\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6646"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6646\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}