The latest Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion, Mega Evolution—Pitch Black, arrives July 17, 2026, but you can visit your local game store to play with it early! Starting July 4, 2026, select Play! Pokémon Stores will begin selling the Mega Evolution—Pitch Black Build & Battle Box, giving Trainers a chance to have a Prerelease battle and experience the latest expansion before its official release date. To find a Prerelease event near you, be sure to use the Event Locator.

In the Prerelease format, players compete using a 40-card deck with four Prize cards set aside at the start of play, as opposed to a 60-card deck with six Prize cards. Prerelease is perfect for introducing new Trainers to the exciting world of the Pokémon TCG with quick, fun games, and it gives seasoned Trainers a window into everything Mega Evolution—Pitch Black has to offer. Due to the limited card pool and the variance of cards that can be acquired in a Build & Battle Box, Prerelease events are a great opportunity to flex your creative deck-building muscles.

Each Build & Battle Box includes four Mega Evolution—Pitch Black booster packs and a 40-card, ready-to-play deck featuring key cards from current and prior expansions, as well as one of four unique foil promo cards. Depending on which promo card you get, you could be playing with the always-electric Miraidon, carefree Slowbro, sneaky Dhelmise, or bulwark Bastiodon.