Pokémon TCG: Destined Rivals Is Here to Wreck Your Wallet (And You’ll Love Every Second)

Pokémon TCG’s next powerhouse set, Destined Rivals, is just around the corner, and let’s be honest—we’re all about to go broke chasing these cards. With Trainer’s Pokémon making a glorious return, Team Rocket causing more mayhem, and some of the slickest card art in years, this is shaping up to be a collector’s fever dream.

Preorders are already live at Pokémon Center and popping up at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart. If history has taught us anything, it’s that these will vanish faster than a scalper’s conscience. And since the site just went through one of its “mysterious maintenance” periods, you might want to start warming up your refresh button.

Mark Your Calendar—Or Your Financial Ruin The official release date is May 30, 2025, with pre-release events running from May 17-25. That means a mad dash for Build & Battle boxes and early access tournaments. If you’re serious about getting in, now’s the time to start bribing your local league store owner with snacks.

What’s Dropping? Let’s all pretend we’ll only buy one product and then laugh at our collective delusions. Here’s what’s hitting shelves:

• Booster Packs & Booster Boxes
• Elite Trainer Box & Pokémon Center Exclusive ETB
• Booster Bundles (6 packs)
• Triple-pack blisters
• Build & Battle Box & Stadium
• Likely Special Collection Boxes with alternate art promos of Cynthia, Misty, Ethan, and Marnie

The Cards We’re Already Obsessed With Some of these are pure power, others pure nostalgia, and some are just here to be extra. Either way, they’re coming for our wallets:

• Cynthia’s Garchomp ex – A high-damage, hand-draw beast with elite Champion energy.
• Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex – Fire Energy acceleration and healing? This is what competitive dreams are made of.
• Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex – It refuses to attack unless you go full Rocket, but when it does? Pure chaos.
• Misty’s Psyduck – A card designed to make you laugh and possibly lose a game in the best way.
• Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex – Disruptive, aggressive, and downright annoying—just how Marnie would want it.

Between the nostalgia-bait, the over-the-top abilities, and the sheer demand, Destined Rivals isn’t just another expansion—it’s an event. So clear your shelves, start your excuses, and prepare to not stick to your budget. We’ll see you in the pre-order trenches.