The Pokémon Trading Card Game's newest gimmick could have a very short shelf life based on recent announcements. Later this month, the Pokémon Trading Card Game will release Journey Together, a new set that reintroduces the popular Trainer's Pokémon gimmick to the game. These new cards feature Pokémon belonging to specific trainers from the franchise, with other cards designed specifically to interact with them.

Trainer's Pokémon cards have a history that dates back to the early Pokémon TCG days when Wizards of the Coast released two sets focused on the gym leaders of the Kanto region. The gimmick was a popular one, but it took over 20 years to make a full return in the game. Many players are looking forward to not only trying out new decks focused on the Trainer's Pokémon cards but also collecting the Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare alternate art cards. However, a recent announcement indicates this could be a short-term gimmick instead of a long-lasting one.

Trainer's Pokémon Could Be A Short-Term Card Gimmick

New Gimmick May Only Appear In Two Or Three Sets

During Pokémon Day last week, The Pokémon Company announced that Pokémon TCG will swap to a new era with the release of Mega Evolution Pokémon ex cards. The Scarlet & Violet series will be replaced by the aptly-named Mega Evolution series, indicating that we'll see multiple sets of Mega Evolution cards.

In the past, the Pokémon TCG has had its sets focus on a single gimmick. For instance, there's no indication that the Journey Together set will feature any Tera Pokémon ex cards or Stellar Pokémon ex cards. So, while Trainer's Pokémon are confirmed for Journey Together and (the technically unannounced) Destined Rivals sets, they could get swapped out when Mega Evolution officially launches later this year.

Will Mega Evolutions Last Multiple Years?

A New Series Does Not Necessarily Mean A Multi-Year Commitment

Since the Pokémon TCG is shifting to a new series of cards named after Mega Evolutions, it appears that the Mega Evolution gimmick will last for at least a little while. There are currently 48 Mega Evolution forms in the Pokémon franchise. At a clip of 15 per set (which is how many Pokémon ex cards have appeared per recent set), that would mean we could get 3 full sets focused on Mega Evolutions. The number of sets might increase if we get more Mega Evolved forms in the new game or if the Pokémon TCG dials back the number of new Pokémon ex cards per set.

The new series likely means that the next main series Pokémon games won't be out until late 2026 at the earliest.

Based on what we know so far, it feels like the Mega Evolution series will be relatively small, lasting only about a year to a year and a half. That's not entirely without precedent, as the XY BREAK era lasted only six sets in Japan, while the HeartGold & SoulSilver and Platinum sets both lasted only four sets internationally. So, just because Mega Evolution is getting a full series of card releases, that doesn't necessarily mean fans will be looking at a full three-year cycle.

What Mega Evolution Means For Gen 10 Games

Mega Evolution Cards Doesn't Rule Out A New Game In 2026

Unless Mega Evolution only consists of a couple of sets (which is unlikely), the new series likely means that the next main series Pokémon games won't be out until late 2026 at the earliest. The Pokémon TCG has always tried to sync up its sets with the current Pokémon games. The announcement that we're getting not one but multiple series focusing on Mega Evolutions means that we shouldn't expect to see a Gen 10 Pokémon game announcement for 2025.

However, as mentioned, there is a precedent for the Pokémon TCG having a short series of cards. The fact that we're getting a Mega Evolution set doesn't rule out a new set of Pokémon games coming out in 2026. In fact, it would be surprising not to see a new Pokémon game out in 2026, given that it's the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise. One solid way to tell if new games are coming is to see how quickly the Pokémon TCG runs through whatever new content appears in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

I'm personally looking forward to the new Mega Evolution series. The Mega Evolution gimmick is one of my favorites in the Pokémon franchise, and Mega Evolution cards neatly tie into when I first got into the Pokémon TCG as an adult. I'm hoping that the Pokémon TCG designers figure out a way to innovate within the Mega Evolution gimmick so that we aren't faced with major power creep, especially if this is only a short-term series of cards. The last thing I want is for Mega Evolution to overshadow the next gimmick the way it's overshadowing Trainer's Pokémon cards.