I’ve seen two new sets forPokémon Trading Card Game, and after the information that was shared, I’m worried that the game will rely too heavily on some fan-favorite cards, which could bring consequences to the meta and even the market.The card game is continuously expanding with the arrival of new sets. Already released in Japan, thePokémon TCG: Black Bolt and White Flareexpansionwill arrive in Western markets in mid-July, for instance, bringing forth several cards centered around Pokémon, Trainers, and elements from the Gen 5 games and the region of Unova.
Because the Japanese versions of cards and sets are released beforehand in Japan, however, it’s possible to get a glimpse of what you may expect in the future. Furthermore, a lot of the information around these expansions appears even before their announcement, asleakers pay attention to trademark filings made by The Pokémon Company. One such example of this is therumoredPokémon TCG: Storm Emeraldasetthat may be centered around Rayquaza, for example, and has had its trademark filed a few days ago.
Mega Dream ex & Abyss Eye Are Trademarked For Pokémon TCG
The New Sets Could Be Related To Mega Evolutions
Now, The Pokémon Company in Japan has filed two more trademarks for upcoming sets, according toPokébeach. As seen in the report,the two new trademarks forPokémon TCGareMEGA Dreams exandAbyss Eye. The website speculates thatMEGA Dreams excould be a set that arrives in November or December this year, and that it could be centered around Mega Evolutions and ex cards, as indicated by its name. On the other hand,Pokébeachspeculates that Abyss Eye could be related to anew Mega Evolution inPokémon Legends: Z-A, which will be released in mid-October.
The release of these sets, possibly related to Mega Evolutions, seems to be in line with the other expansions that are bound to come. According to the report, theMega BraveandMega Symphoniasets will feature Mega Lucario ex and Mega Gardevoir ex in August, followed by Mega Gengar ex and Mega Diancie exStarter Setsin September. After that,Inferno Xwill feature Mega Charizard (X) ex, and the rumors are thatNinja SpinnerandStorm Emeraldawill highlight Mega Greninja ex and Mega Rayquaza ex, respectively. After this,MEGA Dream exandAbyss Eyemay be released.
The Pokémon TCG Is Relying A Lot On Mega Evolutions
Mega Evolution Cards Could Become Abundant Until The End Of The Year
Mega Evolution sets inPokémon TCGwill seemingly take over until the end of the year if the speculation about the themes of the filed expansions is accurate.This does make a lot of sense, after all,Legends: Z-Awill be released in October, and it’s common practice for The Pokémon Company to establish some connections between the card game and the mainline releases. BecauseMega Evolutions inPokémon Legends: Z-Awill be a core aspect of its gameplay, as confirmed by Nintendo, it makes sense for theTCGto follow suit, especially because it’s a returning mechanic.
Similar things have occurred in the past.After the release ofPokémon Sword and Shield, Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon cards started appearing in theTCG– this didn’t occur before the games’ releases because it was a brand-new mechanic. Similarly, theTCGstarted adding Terastal cards to its roster following the inauguration of theScarlet and Violetera, which came after the release of the Gen 9 games. Because Mega Evolutions are a known returning mechanic, however, it makes sense for sets to start featuring these Pokémon as a way to advertiseLegends: Z-A, and following its release, vice versa.
Too Many Mega Cards Can Cause Big Problems
The Saturation Of Mega Cards Could Affect Pokémon TCG’s Competitive Play & Collector Markets
Mega Evolutions are a beloved mechanic, so seeing them in theTCGnear the release of a game that features them heavily doesn’t come as a surprise. The issue with it is thatPokémon TCGmay flood the market with Mega Evolution cards.In terms of competitive play, the meta may become saturated with Mega Evolution cards from these sets that take away gameplay value from other ex cards, for example.
TCG’s meta is constantly undergoing changes as new sets are released and older cards are banned, but the abundance of Mega Evolution cards could create some stagnation with other cards that are still legal in competitive play.
This could also affect the collector markets, too, sparking a crisis in card values because of card chase – sought-after Mega cards could spike to incredible prices, while other good cards could have their values plummet. It’s too early to tell exactly how much the possible widespread presence of Mega Evolution cards could affect the market and competitive field, but ifPokémon TCGleans too heavily into them without considering its other mechanics, the game could face some problems.
