Pokemon TCG's 30th Anniversary Sets Could Include The Classics

"The three-yearly cycle had become so normal that the card game was built around it, releasing sets themed around the new monsters and mechanics added to each new gaming entry, so what would it do when that was taken away? The answer, it turned out, was the revival of Mega Evolution, loosely tied into the events of Pokémon Z-A, but mostly just doing its own nostalgic thing."

"During the 30th anniversary Pokémon Presents, among its lacking assortment of announcements, there was a brief appearance of the TCG- albeit a very opaque one. The one solid piece of information we received was that the new cards will-for the first time ever-release simultaneously worldwide. Cards are usually released in Japan first, in the country's own bespoke sets, and then repurposed for the rest of the world in differently arranged and titled collections."

"The minute-long inclusion showed a range of favorite cards from the last 30 years, often in non-English versions, before faux-interrupting itself to reveal Mew and Mewtwo seemingly on some sort of LSD trip. But nothing tangible, nothing we could infer. Could it be the case that this wasn't a gallery of old faves, but potentially cards that will be included in the new sets?"

With no mainline Pokémon game releasing in 2025, the TCG faced uncertainty about its traditional three-yearly release cycle tied to new games. The Mega Evolution revival provided a stopgap, but Pokémon Winds and Waves won't arrive until 2027. To bridge this gap, The Pokémon Company announced a 30th Anniversary Set during the anniversary Presents event. The most significant revelation was that these cards will release simultaneously worldwide for the first time, breaking from the standard practice of Japan-first releases followed by international repurposing. The announcement included a brief video showcasing favorite cards from three decades, though details remain sparse and speculation surrounds whether shown cards will be included in the actual sets.

Read at Kotaku