If you tried to pre-order Pokémon cards on Wednesday and hit a frozen website, you were not alone. Pre-orders for Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution - Pitch Black went live at the Pokémon Center store on 10 June 2026 and pulled in so many Trainers that the official shop briefly fell over. The cause of the rush is Mega Darkrai ex, the brooding chase card anchoring a set built around the spookiest Pokémon going. It lands worldwide on 17 July 2026.
Got a regular group? Create a private community, poll for the best date, vote on games, and let your friends RSVP in one place.
Set up your group for freeThe interesting wrinkle is the timing. The Pokémon Company opened pre-orders just 37 days before launch, the tightest window of the current era, a deliberate move to give scalpers less runway to hoover up stock before players and collectors can get to it. On the evidence of the crashed store, demand is not the problem.
Pitch Black is the fifth main set in the Mega Evolution Series, with more than 115 cards. Alongside Mega Darkrai ex you get Mega Zeraora ex, Mega Chandelure ex and Mega Excadrill ex. The set is drawn almost entirely from Japan's Abyss Eye expansion, which launched on 22 May, so anyone who follows the Japanese releases already has a fair idea of what is in the packs.
Run game nights? Backseat Gamer handles RSVPs, waitlists, date polling, and game voting so you can focus on playing.
Start organising for freeFor UK players, the usual advice holds: your friendly local game shop is the best bet for sealed product at sensible prices, and many will run prerelease events before launch where you can crack packs and build a deck on the day. If the new Mega cards have you itching to play, it is a fine excuse to get a game night in the diary.
Sources: Bulbapedia | Pokemon.com | Tech Times
