What is Pitch Black?
Pitch Black (set code ME05) is the fifth main expansion of the Mega Evolution era, releasing worldwide on July 17, 2026. It’s the first set built around the Mega Dimension DLC from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and it leans hard into a Dark-type, shadows-and-nightmares theme — the official blurb has city lights and starry skies swallowed by darkness as Mega Darkrai ex arrives. In Japan the parent set is called Abyss Eye. The Pokémon Company announced the expansion on April 30, 2026.
What’s in the set
Pitch Black runs to more than 115 cards. Based on the official set information, that includes six Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, four regular Pokémon ex, 11 illustration rares, 18 ultra rares across Pokémon and Trainer cards, and six special illustration rares. The headline chase is Mega Darkrai ex, joined by Mega Zeraora ex striking back on the cover art, plus Mega Chandelure ex and Mega Excadrill ex. Expect the usual modern spread: a framed common/uncommon/rare base set underneath a deep premium layer of full-art and special-illustration cards.
The dates that matter
Prerelease tournaments start July 4, 2026 at participating Play! Pokémon stores — the earliest legitimate way to get Pitch Black cards in hand. The set goes live digitally in Pokémon TCG Live on July 16, and hits shelves everywhere on July 17. Products at launch include booster packs, sleeved boosters, booster bundles (six packs), and Elite Trainer Boxes, with the usual special collections following through the year.
Have the binder ready before launch day
A 115+ card set fits comfortably in one binder: thirteen 9-pocket pages hold 117 cards, so a standard zip binder covers the base set with room to spare — leave extra pages at the back for the secret-rare cards past the printed number. If you’re chasing the master set, decide your sort order now (set-number order is the standard for a single set) and sleeve pages before your first packs, not after. Penny sleeves under the pocket, or double-sleeve just the hits — whatever your system, having it in place before you crack packs keeps launch weekend fun instead of fiddly.
What NinePocket will have (and when)
The full Pitch Black set page — every card with live market prices, the illustrator credits, the most-valuable ranking, and free printable binder dividers, a master-set checklist, and placeholder cards — goes live here as soon as the official card database publishes the English set, which typically happens right around release day. Until then, the set list above is based on the official announcement, and you can plan pocket-by-pocket layouts already with the binder planner. Check back on launch weekend.