Pokémon Sets in Order: Every Expansion from 1999 to Today

Set data as of Jul 21, 2026. Announced sets are labelled as such.

Looking ahead: the next releases

The most common question is not “what came out in 2007?” but “what is next?”. So let's start by looking forward. The current series is Mega Evolution; the most recent release is Pitch Black on Jul 17, 2026.

Most recent releases (2026):

Announced / coming next:

What makes the 30th Celebration set special: according to the official announcement it is the first Pokémon expansion with a simultaneous worldwide release – for the first time it launches on the same day in Japan (and other Asian markets) as well. Normally Japanese sets arrive one to three months ahead of the western versions; with the anniversary set, Japan joins at the same time. The weekday is unusual too: a Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026, instead of the usual Friday.

After Delta Reign (Nov 6, 2026), no further set has been officially announced as of today (Jul 21, 2026).

English vs. German sets: the release rhythm since 1999

A short but important point up front – it explains why release dates differ between older lists.

Today (since 2020): simultaneous. Since the Sword & Shield era (2020), German and international (English) sets have been released on the same day – a global simultaneous release. Every main set of 2026 shares identical English and German dates, both the ones already out and the announced ones. From 2020 onwards, the date given in the tables below therefore applies to both editions.

Earlier (the WOTC era, 1999–2003): with a clear delay. In the early years the German sets sometimes trailed the English originals by a long way: while the English Base Set arrived in January 1999, the German Grundset only reached shops in December 1999 – a gap of almost a year. That gap narrowed over time.

For the early eras the tables therefore use the international (English) release date as the shared anchor. The exact German release dates from the WOTC years differ from it and are deliberately not published here as German dates, so that no incorrect dates are claimed.

A second note on set names: for the more recent eras (Scarlet & Violet from 2023 and Mega Evolution) the tables give the English name with the official German name in brackets, since both editions ship together. For the older eras only the English original name is listed.

Every era in order (1999 → today)

The history below is grouped by the eleven official eras (WOTC through Mega Evolution). Columns: Set · Release · Cards (base count; in brackets including secret and bonus cards) · Code.

1. The WOTC era – Base, Neo, Legendary Collection and e-Card (1999–2003)

Where it all began. This era was published by Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) and covers the legendary Base Set, the Neo series built around the second game generation, and the technically ambitious e-Card series (Expedition, Aquapolis, Skyridge). For collectors it is by far the most sought-after and most expensive era – early, well-preserved and graded cards (PSA/CGC) from Base Set fetch top prices. Release dates are the international ones; the German editions arrived later (see the section above).

Not counted as main expansions: Wizards Black Star Promos, Southern Islands (18 cards, 2001), Best of Game (2002).

2. The EX era (2003–2007)

With the handover to Nintendo / The Pokémon Company, the EX era started in 2003. It is defined by the namesake “Pokémon-ex” cards (lower-case “ex”) and the first big wave of holographic chase cards. The era includes classics such as EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua and EX Dragon Frontiers and is popular for its artwork and the early Gold Star cards.

Also released: Nintendo Black Star Promos, POP Series 1–5, EX Trainer Kits.

3. The Diamond & Pearl era (2007–2008)

The jump into the fourth game generation: Diamond & Pearl introduced a new card layout in 2007, the first with full-bleed artwork, plus the “Poké-Body / Poké-Power” mechanics. The era is seen as the bridge to the modern look and is mainly collected today for the first “Level X” cards.

Also released: DP Black Star Promos, POP Series 6–9.

4. The Platinum era (2009)

A short but dense era: four sets built around the Legendary Pokémon Giratina and the Platinum game. Defining features are the returning “Pokémon SP” and the iconic “Level X” cards. Compact, but well liked by collectors of the DP generation.

5. The HeartGold & SoulSilver era (2010–2011)

Matching the remakes of the second game generation, the Johto region returned to the card game. Highlights are the “Pokémon Prime” cards and the spectacular “LEGEND” cards, which are made up of two halves. The era closes with Call of Legends, often treated as a small chapter of its own.

Also released: HGSS Black Star Promos.

6. The Black & White era (2011–2013)

The fifth game generation brought back powerful “EX” cards in a new design (now written “Pokémon-EX”) along with the popular “Full Art” trainer cards. The era spans twelve sets including the Dragon Vault mini expansion and ends with the extensive Legendary Treasures.

Also released: BW Black Star Promos, McDonald's Collection 2011/2012.

7. The XY era (2013–2016)

The sixth generation introduced “Mega Evolution” to the card game (Mega Pokémon-EX) and brought the largest number of chase cards so far with “Full Art” and “Secret Rare” cards. Notable are special sets such as Generations (tied to the 20th anniversary) and the mini sets. The start of the era is usually marked by the Kalos Starter Set.

Also released: XY Black Star Promos, McDonald's Collection 2014/2015/2016. Evolutions is a modern reprint of Base Set and is popular as a “retro” set.

8. The Sun & Moon era (2017–2019)

The seventh generation is known for the powerful “Pokémon-GX” and the sprawling “Secret Rare” lines (Rainbow Rares, gold cards). Set sizes grew considerably – Cosmic Eclipse and Unified Minds are among the largest sets ever printed. The special sets Hidden Fates and Shining Legends remain in demand because of their Shiny Vault cards.

Also released: SM Black Star Promos, McDonald's Collection 2017/2018/2019.

9. The Sword & Shield era (2020–2023)

The eighth generation and a turning point for European collectors: from here on, English and German sets are released on the same day (global simultaneous release). Defining cards are “Pokémon V”, “VMAX” and “VSTAR” plus the coveted “Alternate Art” cards. Evolving Skies (the Eevee evolutions) is considered one of the most popular modern sets; Celebrations marked the 25th anniversary.

Also released: SWSH Black Star Promos, Pokémon Futsal Collection (2020), McDonald's Collection 2021/2022.

10. The Scarlet & Violet era (2023–2025)

The ninth generation. New are the “Tera” Pokémon ex and the extremely popular “Special Illustration Rares”. Prismatic Evolutions and the tribute set 151 (the return of the original 151 Pokémon) are among the most sought-after modern sets. English name first, German name in brackets; the release date applies to both.

Black Bolt and White Flare are a matching “twin set” released on the same day.

11. The Mega era – Mega Evolution (since 2025, current)

The current era revolves – as it did during XY – around Mega Evolution, this time as a series of its own with the “Mega Pokémon ex”. It started on Sep 26, 2025 and covers six released sets so far; the most recent is Pitch Black. Two more are already announced: the 30th Celebration anniversary set and Delta Reign. English name first, German name in brackets; the release date applies to both.

Note: every set up to and including Pitch Black (Jul 17, 2026) has been officially released. The 30th Celebration set is the first worldwide simultaneous release including Japan (new “Futuristic Rare” rarity, every card foil, 30 classic reprints); card count and set code are not final yet. Delta Reign is the international counterpart to the Japanese set “Storm Emeralda” featuring Mega Rayquaza ex; date, card count and code are provisional.

Digital: the Pocket sets, briefly

Alongside the physical card game there has been the Pokémon TCG Pocket app since 2024, with purely digital sets (for example “Genetic Apex”, “Mythical Island”, “Space-Time Smackdown”). These digital expansions follow their own schedule and are not part of the physical release order above – which is why they are kept separate here and mentioned only in passing. If you collect physical cards and track their value, the eleven eras above are what matter.

Keeping track of what each era is worth

Knowing the order is one thing; knowing what each era is worth today is another. This is where the eras differ dramatically: for a sealed Base Set display from the WOTC era, the last documented sale sat at around €30,000, while a current Mega-era display (Pitch Black) came in at roughly €187 (both figures are the last documented sale, as of July 2026). Within a single era there are also “chase” sets that rise faster than the rest.

TCGPriceTracker is a retailer-neutral portfolio and price tracker for 20 trading card games. You record your cards and sealed products per variant, with set, language (English, German, Japanese and more), condition and – for graded cards – grading (PSA/CGC). Price data is pulled automatically from Cardmarket and updated daily; the reference figure is the trend price (a weighted average of recently sold items that filters out outliers). That gives you the total value and the development (ROI) of your collection – broken down to set and era level.

The free plan covers up to 20 products, 30 single cards and 10 watchlist entries. For larger collections there is Pro from €5.99 per month or €49.99 per year.