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Four Worlds promos were unveiled: League events run August 24–30, while badged San Francisco attendees get a foil-stamped Ascended Heroes Rayquaza and competitors receive Paradise Resort.

NAIC attendance in New Orleans rose more than 150% and all badge types sold out, prompting TPCi to choose McCormick Place for more competition and fan-programming space.

PokémonXP and Worlds attendees will receive an event-exclusive Rayquaza promo bearing a PokémonXP stamp during Worlds weekend in August.

From August 21–30, participants can receive a Pikachu promo with a San Francisco backdrop; age-division winners get a “WINNER” stamp plus TCG accessories, while supplies last.

Events run August 21–30 at Play! Pokémon Stores; entrants receive a San Francisco-themed Pikachu promo while supplies last, with stamped copies and accessories for division winners.

TPCi says the 2027 NAIC will move from New Orleans to McCormick Place in Chicago, enabling a larger event after three years in Louisiana.

Pitch Black’s July 17 release drew preorder queues of up to nine hours, while crashes, checkout failures and anti-bot bans left many buyers facing higher scalper prices.

Mega Chandelure ex features artwork by Rend and joins six Mega Evolution Pokémon ex in the 115-plus-card Pitch Black set, releasing July 17 after prereleases begin July 4.

The July 17 expansion has a 37-day preorder window, with ETBs offering nine packs and an exclusive stamped Zarude promo; prerelease events run July 4–12.

Series Nine arrives July 1, 2026, at participating Play! Pokémon retailers, with six logo-stamped cards per pack drawn from sets spanning Journey Together through Perfect Order.

Part 1 adds the underwater Bubbly Basin in August 2026, alongside a free Version 2.0 update with Dive; Parts 2 and 3 are planned for late 2026 and 2027.

Starting July 1, participating Play! Pokémon Stores will distribute six-card Series Nine packs drawn from a 100-plus-card pool, all Standard-legal and stamped for Play! Pokémon.

The free app offers pre-made decks and tutorials before matching players worldwide; games begin with seven-card hands, six Prize cards and 20-minute timers.

Some Target stores are reportedly limiting shoppers to one item per Pokémon product and refusing reseller sales, though enforcement varies by location and Target has not confirmed the policy.

Pitch Black will closely mirror Japan’s Abyss Eye and launches July 17, with prereleases running July 4–12; Darkrai ex and Mega Excadrill ex were revealed earlier.

Pitch Black prereleases run July 4–12, with each Build & Battle kit containing one of four promos; the full set releases July 17.

Select Play! Pokémon Stores will sell the box from July 4, ahead of the set’s July 17 release; each contains four booster packs, a 40-card deck, and one of four foil promos.

The all-foil 30th Celebration set launches worldwide on September 16 with six-card packs, about 150 cards and new Futuristic Rare Mew ex and Mewtwo ex chases.

Partnered vendors will reportedly be barred from selling graded slabs, items over $1,000 and unreleased Japanese Pokémon Center goods at Regionals and Worlds.