Chaos Rising Hits Hands Early: Prerelease Starting May 9
Anyone waiting on the next big Pokémon TCG drop gets the chance to play with the brand-new Mega Evolution—Chaos Rising set two weeks ahead of its official release, starting May 9, 2026. The Pokémon Company is running Prerelease events at select Play! Pokémon Stores worldwide, where players crack open the first packs of the new set and battle it out on the spot.
How the Prerelease Works
The format is the streamlined 40-card deck format with four Prize cards, instead of the usual 60-card deck with six Prize cards. That makes it noticeably more beginner-friendly: nobody needs to bring a full tournament list. Instead, decks are built on-site from the contents of the Build & Battle Box and then played right away.
The Mega Evolution—Chaos Rising Build & Battle Box contains:
- 4 booster packs from the new expansion
- A pre-built 40-card deck featuring cards from current and earlier sets
- One of four holographic Promo cards (see below)
The Four Prerelease Promo Cards
This year's promo line-up covers four very different play styles:
| Promo | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Delphox | "Energized Storm" attack with scaling damage |
| Ampharos | "Synchro Pulse" Ability, based on hand size |
| Crobat | "Nighttime Maneuvers" for stacking your deck |
| Goodra | "Slimy Sliding" Ability plus "Dragon Pulse" attack |
Which promo ends up in your box is decided on-site at the event. Collectors will almost certainly head to the AniichiCards Marketplace afterwards to trade and complete the full set of four.
Where the Event Takes Place
Prerelease events run exclusively at select Play! Pokémon Stores. Anyone looking for a participating store nearby can use the official Event Locator at events.pokemon.com. Slots fill up fast, so registering early at your local store is worth it.
What Comes After the Prerelease
The full Mega Evolution—Chaos Rising expansion drops on May 22, 2026. The complete set features over 120 cards, including more than 20 Trainer cards and more than 35 cards with Special Illustrations. The Mega ex headliners are already confirmed: Mega Greninja ex, Mega Pyroar ex, Mega Floette ex and Mega Dragalge ex. Anyone who plays the Prerelease has a small window to figure out where the meta is heading before the main drop hits.
As soon as the first cards land in our catalog, they'll show up under Pokémon in the AniichiCards Catalog, with live market prices and marketplace availability.
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Who's heading to the Prerelease? Which promo card is your favorite, and which Mega ex are you most hyped about? Drop a comment below!