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The Pitch Black Pokémon set, officially Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution: Pitch Black, hits shelves worldwide on July 17, 2026. It is the fifth English expansion of the Mega Evolution era, and it puts one of the most collected dark-type Pokémon of all time front and center: Mega Darkrai ex. The CardOutpost team has tracked every reveal since the set was announced in April. Here is everything you need to know before you rip your first pack.
⚡ Key Takeaways
- Release date: July 17, 2026 (prereleases ran July 4–12).
- Set size: 120 cards, the smallest Mega Evolution set so far.
- Top chase: Mega Darkrai ex Mega Hyper Rare (#120), a black-and-gold etched card.
- Other headliners: Mega Zeraora ex, Mega Chandelure ex, Mega Excadrill ex.
- Origin: Based on Japan’s Abyss Eye set, plus three added promos.
When Does Pitch Black Release?
The Pokémon Pitch Black release date is Friday, July 17, 2026, in all English-speaking markets. Prerelease events took place July 4–12, 2026, and the set is legal for tournament play three weeks after launch, per standard TPCi policy.
The set arrives just two weeks before Storm Emeralda (July 31), so July 2026 is one of the busiest release windows of the Mega Evolution era. If you’re budgeting between the two, this guide will help you decide how hard to chase this one.
Set overview: quick facts
| Detail | Fact |
|---|
| Official name | Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution: Pitch Black (ME05) |
| Release date | July 17, 2026 |
| Set size | 120 cards (84 main set + 36 secret rares) |
| Cover Pokémon | Mega Darkrai ex |
| Japanese equivalent | Abyss Eye (near-identical, + 3 promo additions) |
| Era | 5th English set of the Mega Evolution block |
| ETB promo | Zarude (cut from the set’s Illustration Rares) |
What Is the Pitch Black Pokémon Set?
This is a dark-themed expansion built around Mega Darkrai ex and a supporting cast of night-and-shadow Pokémon: Mega Chandelure ex, Mega Zeraora ex and Mega Excadrill ex all get the Mega Evolution ex treatment with etched artwork. The set is nearly identical to Japan’s Abyss Eye, with three promos folded in for the English release: Mega Slowbro ex, Jett and Mega Delphox ex from Japan’s Gym promo waves.
At 120 cards, this is the leanest set of the block. That matters more than it sounds: fewer cards means the secret-rare pool is concentrated, so each pack you open has a tighter, more focused chase list. Small sets like this one historically produce some of the best single-card demand, because every collector is hunting the same handful of cards.
Notable main-set inclusions: Wailord ex returns with a massive 380 HP, Miraidon, Koraidon and Zarude appear as Holo Rares, and playable support like Primarina and Sinistcha rounds out the list.
Pitch Black Chase Cards: What to Hunt
The top Pitch Black chase cards are the Mega Hyper Rare Mega Darkrai ex (#120), the Special Illustration Rare Mega Darkrai ex (#116), and the SIR versions of Mega Zeraora ex (#114) and Mega Chandelure ex (#115). The Gwynn SIR (#119) is the set’s premier trainer chase.
Top chase cards: early market estimates, July 9, 2026
| Card | # | Rarity | Early Estimate* |
|---|
| Mega Darkrai ex | 120/086 | Mega Hyper Rare (black gold) | $350–$600+ |
| Mega Darkrai ex | 116/086 | Special Illustration Rare | $120–$220 |
| Mega Zeraora ex | 114/086 | Special Illustration Rare | $60–$110 |
| Mega Chandelure ex | 115/086 | Special Illustration Rare | $50–$100 |
| Gwynn | 119/086 | Special Illustration Rare | $40–$90 |
| Gladion’s Final Battle | 118/086 | Special Illustration Rare | $30–$70 |
| Morpeko ex | 117/086 | Special Illustration Rare | $25–$55 |
| Slowbro / Primarina | 090 / 088 | Illustration Rare | $10–$30 |
*Estimates based on presale listings and closing prices of comparable Mega Evolution era cards. Prices move fast in the first two weeks after release.
Why Darkrai? Dark-type legendaries are among the most reliably collected Pokémon in the hobby, and this is Darkrai’s first-ever Mega Evolution card. First-appearance chase cards from small sets have been the strongest performers of the entire Mega Evolution block so far. It is a pattern we see daily across CardOutpost’s live pull feed, where dark-type hits consistently cash out above their listed comps.
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Pitch Black Pull Rates: What Are Your Odds?
Official Pitch Black pull rates aren’t published, but Mega Evolution era data puts Illustration Rares at roughly 1 in 8–12 packs, full-art Ultra Rares at ~1 in 30, Special Illustration Rares at ~1 in 80–100, and the Mega Hyper Rare at between 1 in 540 and 1 in 1,260 packs.
Expected pull rates, based on Mega Evolution era set data
| Rarity Tier | Cards in Set | Approx. Odds per Pack | Packs per Hit (avg.) |
|---|
| Illustration Rare (IR) | #085–095 (11 cards) | ~1 in 8–12 | ~10 |
| Ultra Rare (full-art ex) | #096–103 (8 cards) | ~1 in 30 | ~30 |
| Ultra Rare (trainers/items) | #104–113 (10 cards) | ~1 in 35 | ~35 |
| Special Illustration Rare (SIR) | #114–119 (6 cards) | ~1 in 80–100 | ~90 |
| Mega Hyper Rare (MHR) | #120 (1 card) | ~1 in 540–1,260 | 15–35 booster boxes |
Read that last row again: the Mega Hyper Rare Darkrai could take 15 to 35 booster boxes to pull. Mega Evolution era gold cards carry some of the lowest pull rates ever printed in the modern game, which is exactly why the single-card market for them runs hot. Set your budget with that math in mind, or chase graded singles instead of sealed product if the #120 is your only target.
→ Skip the 35-box math: rip individual packs from $10 on CardOutpostEvery pull authenticated. Hits shipped to your door or cashed out instantly.
Pitch Black Card List: How the 120 Cards Break Down
The full Pitch Black card list runs 84 main-set cards plus 36 secret rares. The secret-rare block splits into four tiers: eleven Illustration Rares (including standout artworks of Slowbro, Primarina, Dhelmise and Silvally), eight full-art ex cards, ten full-art trainers and items (Gwynn, Gladion’s Final Battle, Misty’s Vitality, Dark Bell and more), six Special Illustration Rares, and the single black-gold Mega Darkrai ex at #120.
One quirk collectors should know: the English set cut Zarude’s Illustration Rare from the list and turned it into the Elite Trainer Box promo. If you want that art, the ETB is the only way to get it.
Pitch Black Products: What’s Available at Launch
Product lineup at launch: July 17, 2026
| Product | Contents | Best For |
|---|
| Booster Box | 36 booster packs | Best cost-per-pack for set completion |
| Elite Trainer Box | 9 packs + Zarude promo + accessories | Exclusive Zarude ETB promo |
| Pokémon Center ETB | ETB with exclusive extras | Premium collectors |
| Booster Bundle | 6 booster packs | Low-commitment sampling |
| Build & Battle Box | Prerelease kit + packs | New players |
| Checklane Blisters | 1–3 packs + promo (Slowpoke, Luxray, Gengar, more) | Impulse promo hunting |
Store promos this cycle: spend $15+ on Pokémon TCG product to grab Primarina (Hot Topic, Barnes & Noble, BoxLunch), Zarude (GameStop) or Armarouge (Best Buy), each stamped with the 30th anniversary logo on cosmos holofoil.
Is Pitch Black Worth Buying?
For Darkrai collectors, yes, unambiguously. This is the character’s first Mega card, it anchors the set at three different rarities, and small-set chase cards have consistently outperformed in this block. For value hunters, the concentrated 120-card list means fewer dead pulls per pack than bloated 200+ card sets. For competitive players, Mega Darkrai ex, Mega Zeraora ex and Mega Chandelure ex all look playable, giving sealed product a floor of demand beyond collectors.
◆ The Outpost Verdict
Rip for the SIRs, buy the gold as a single. With the Mega Hyper Rare at up to 1-in-1,260 odds, chasing the #120 through sealed product alone is a lottery ticket, but the six-card SIR lineup makes every pack a live hit. That’s exactly the profile CardOutpost’s pack tiers are built around: defined odds, authenticated pulls, real cards shipped. And if this set is only one item on your 2026 shopping list, see our companion guide to the best Pokémon booster packs to buy in 2026 to see how it stacks up against Prismatic Evolutions, Ascended Heroes and the rest of the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Pitch Black Pokémon set release?
July 17, 2026, worldwide. Prerelease events ran July 4–12, 2026.
What is the rarest card in Pitch Black?
The Mega Hyper Rare Mega Darkrai ex (#120), a black-and-gold etched card pulled at roughly 1 in 540–1,260 packs based on Mega Evolution era rates.
How many cards are in Pitch Black?
120 total: an 84-card main set plus 36 secret rares. It’s the smallest set of the Mega Evolution block.
Is Pitch Black based on a Japanese set?
Yes, it mirrors Japan’s Abyss Eye, adding Mega Slowbro ex, Jett and Mega Delphox ex from Japanese Gym promo waves.
What comes after Pitch Black?
Storm Emeralda (Mega Rayquaza ex) lands July 31, 2026, followed by the 30th Celebration set on September 16, 2026.
◆ Read Next
Best Pokémon Booster Packs to Buy in 2026: Ranked for Collectors →
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Set data sourced from official Pokémon TCG announcements and PokéBeach’s Pitch Black set guide (July 2026). Pull-rate figures are estimates from Mega Evolution era community data; prices are early market estimates and change daily. CardOutpost is not affiliated with The Pokémon Company International.
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