Pokemon TCG Pitch Black Preorders Crash Pokemon Center Early as the Full Mega ex Chase Lineup Goes Public
Preorders for Mega Evolution: Pitch Black opened well ahead of its July 17 release and overwhelmed Pokemon Center listings. The full chase lineup is now confirmed, led by Mega Darkrai ex. Here is the checklist of marquee cards and how to buy without overpaying.
Demand for the next big Pokemon TCG English set just showed up early. Preorders for Mega Evolution: Pitch Black opened well ahead of the July 17 release and hit hard enough to overwhelm Pokemon Center listings, with the set going live for orders more than a month before it lands on shelves. If you needed proof that the Mega Evolution era still has momentum, the order rush is it.
The chase lineup is fully out
Pitch Black is the fifth expansion of the Mega Evolution era, and the marquee cards are now confirmed. The set is headlined by Mega Darkrai ex as the mascot, joined by a deep bench of Mega ex chase cards.
- Mega Darkrai ex — the face of the set and the card driving most of the early hype.
- Mega Zeraora ex — an electric counterpart with strong special-illustration appeal.
- Mega Chandelure ex — a fan-favorite design that collectors flagged immediately.
- Mega Excadrill ex — rounding out the Mega ex chase group.
The English set pulls from the Japanese Abyss Eye expansion and runs over 115 cards, including more than 20 Trainer cards and a stack of special illustrations covering both Pokemon and Trainers.
Key dates to mark
- Prerelease tournaments: begin July 4, 2026.
- Full release: July 17, 2026.
What the early crash tells us
When a set sells through preorders weeks ahead of launch, two things usually follow. First, day-one retail allocations get tight, so secondary prices on sealed product can run hot in the opening week. Second, the marquee chase, in this case Mega Darkrai ex, tends to spike on hype and then settle once supply catches up.
Mega Darkrai ex is the kind of card that shows up on wallpapers and lunchboxes before the pack is even out. That is a demand signal, not a price guarantee.
How to approach it without overpaying
If you are buying to play or to collect long term, preordering sealed at MSRP from an allocated retailer is the steadiest route. If you only want the Mega Darkrai ex chase, it is often cheaper to wait for the post-launch supply wave and buy the single rather than chasing it through sealed packs during the opening spike. Either way, set a number you are comfortable with before launch week pressure sets in.