Summary
The names of the nextPokémon Trading Card Gamesets may have been revealed, and could potentially be hinting at the return of Dark Pokémon. Currently, the trading card game is in the midst of theScarlet & Violetseries, having released itsTwilight Masqueradeexpansion in May 2024, withShrouded Fableset to release in August.
As shared by Water Pokémon Master on thePokéBeachfansite, Pokémon Japan has filed two new trademarks under the same terms as the ones used for set names in the past.These trademarks,Terastal FestivalandThe Glory of Team Rocket,could potentially give some insight as to what’s next for the long-running game.
The 20 Most Valuable Pokémon TCG Twilight Masquerade Cards (& How Much They’re Worth)
The Pokémon TCG’s Twilight Masquerade set includes several beautiful rare cards with striking illustrations that are worth quite a bit.
What Could Pokémon TCG’s New Trademarks Mean?
And When Could These New Sets Be Released?
According to Water Pokémon Master,Terastal Festivalcould be the name of Pokémon Japan’s new High-Class Pack set. High-Class sets usually consist of 10/11 cards per pack, with better-guaranteed pulls per pack and much higher chances of a “God pack,” where every card is considered to be good. If so, Water Pokémon Master speculates that this set could be released in December.
As forThe Glory of Team Rocket, Water Pokémon Master suggested that this set could be released early next year. The name of the set clearly references Team Rocket, the long-running antagonistic group that has consistently appeared across the franchise. While it’s nice to have a set focused on an evil team for the first time since 2015’sDouble Crisisin thePokémon X and Yera,it could be alluding to something interesting for players: thereturn of Dark Pokémon. Dark Pokémon were first introduced in thePokémon Trading Card Game’s fifth expansion, theTeam Rocketset, and have appeared occasionally over the years in 2002’sNeo Destiny, 2004’sEX Team Rocket Returns, and 2021’sCelebrations, albeit the latter was an English-exclusive Dark Sylveon V promo, so many are likely hoping to see them return in a greater capacity in the new set.
As pointed out by dineinunes on Water Pokémon Master’s post, ifThe Glory of Team Rocketis the first set of 2025, it could indicate that the release ofPokémon Legends A-Z, which was announced in February 2024 with a worldwide 2025 release date, could be releasing later in the year than expected, which is a shame. Of course, for now, this is all speculation until The Pokémon Company makes a proper announcement, but a new villain set with Dark Pokémon would certainly be a fun addition to theScarlet & Violetera of thePokémon Trading Card Game.
