By Ethan Wilson | Apr 06, 2026
Anniversary Expansion Release Date & New FeaturesAccording to The Pokémon Company, the official release date for the 30th anniversary set will be September 16, 2022, in Japan. The rest of the world will also see a release around the same time, continuing the trend of simultaneous worldwide releases for these anniversaries.
The 30th anniversary expansion is going to be slightly different from the regular expansions currently available. Each booster pack will now contain six cards instead of five, and every card will have a holofoil finish. Additionally, there will also be a new rarity tier introduced with the new Pikachu/Mew/Mewtwo cards being highlighted within the early teasers.
Anniversary Products and Reprints Of Iconic Cards
The anniversary celebrations will extend past the standard expansion pack, as The Pokémon Company has also announced that the Premium Deck: Espeon & Umbreon collection will be released on September 16 as well. This set will feature decks that contain pre-built deck versions of two of the most popular evolveforms in the franchise.
Additional details are yet to be released; however, it is expected that some cards included in the Premium Decks may also adhere to the previously mentioned new rarity tier.
Additionally, similar to what was done for the Celebrations expansion packs in 2021, the 30th Anniversary expansion will include a second set of iconic reprints from some of the historical releases of The Pokémon TCG. Confirmed reprints include Pikachu/Zekrom-GX from the Team Up expansion, Solgaleo-GX from the Sun and Moon Base Set Expansion, and Lugia from the Aquapolis set.
Even More Content In 2026!
2026 has already been a significant year for The Pokémon Trading Card Game, with the early 2026 launch of its largest expansion yet — Ascended Heroes. Later in 2026, Perfect Order — the most competitive expansion to date — will also launch. Following these expansions will be the launch of an expansion called Chaos Rising, which will include even more new and exciting cards and features, including the Mega Greninja-EX card. As a result, the digital platform for the Pokémon TCG, Pokémon TCG Live, is also currently rewarding all players with free packs, decks, and content during the anniversary.
As the 30th anniversary of The Pokémon Trading Card Game approaches, the momentum continues to build as new mechanics, nostalgia, and multiple releases help to continue the growth of The Pokémon Trading Card Game.
