A new set for thePokémon Trading Card Gameis on the horizon.Pokémon TCG’s SV10 set will beScarlet & Violet: Destined Rivalsand is said to be drawing heavily from the Japanese sets,Heat Wave ArenaandThe Glory of Team Rocket. The popular card game is continuing to grow as collectors and players alike are eager for each new collection of cards to be released. With every expansion, the game evolves with new strategies for players to use in tweaking their decks to become as effective as possible, while collectors excitedly look for the next big pull card.
Whileleaks regarding the nextPokémon TCGsethave been circulating for quite some time,there is still very little official information to provide at the time of writingother than that the set is calledDestined Rivalsand that the set will include many Team Rocket inclusions. That said, much of the information gleaned for this article comes from thePokémon TCGnews sitePokéBeach, which has proven itself in the past to be a reliable source. Until there are more official announcements fromPokémon, many things regardingDestined Rivalsshould still be considered as speculation, however likely they may be.
Destined Rivals Release Date & Prerelease Info
Expected To Arrive In May 2025
According toPokéBeach,Scarlet & Violet: Destined Rivalswill be released on June 15, 2025. Prerelease events and tournaments for the set will take place from Saturday, May 17 to Sunday, August 15, 2025, at local game shops and other event locations. Currently, no announcement has been made by The Pokémon Company regarding when pre-orders for the set will be made available. More information is expected to arrive in the next couple of months as those dates draw ever nearer.
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This timeframe for the launch of the set may feel soon for many avid fans of the game, but it matches up with what has been a typical release schedule for the card game recently.Destined Rivalswould be following theMarch release ofPokémon TCG: Journey Together, which is roughly two months from the release ofPrismatic Evolutionsin January.
The Japanese setsHeat Wave ArenaandThe Glory of Team Rocketwill be released in the months prior to the EnglishDestined Rivals, withHeat Wave Arenalaunching on March 14 andThe Glory of Team Rocketon April 18.
What Cards Are Confirmed For Destined Rivals (So Far)
Set Is Likely Based Off Of The Japanese Heat Wave Arena And The Glory Of Team Rocket
It is important to note that as of the time of writing, no cards have been confirmed forDestined Rivals, yet. PokéBeach reports that they expectDestined Rivalswill likely be leaning into theJapanese setsHeat Wave Arena, the Steven’s Metagross ex and Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex decks, andThe Glory of Team Rocket.If this prediction is accurate, these will most likely include Cynthia’s Garchomp ex, Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex, and Rocket’s Mewtwo ex, in addition to Steven’s Metagross ex and Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex.
Many fans of thePokémon TCGwere expecting this set to be focusedheavily on Team Rocket references. The provided name ofDestined Rivalsinstead hints that the cards could be much more generalized than that, with cards from numerous trainers rather than an emphasis on the Team Rocket library. For example, if the above suspicions from PokéBeach are accurate,Destined Rivalscould already include Pokémon from at least seven different trainers.
Team Rocket is certainly making a showing in theDestined Rivalsset, however withrecently revealed artwork for the set on badges at Latin America’s “gamescom” event showcasing Team Rocket members.Among the badge designs are images of Giovanni, Executive Ariana, Executive Petrel, two Grunts, and more.
What To Expect From Destined Rivals Set
Items Available In A New Pokémon TCG Expansion
Every expansion set toPokémon TCGincludes a variety of things for people to purchase, including the Elite Trainer Box collections, which are generally one of the highlights for collectors and players alike. Similar to theSV: Journey TogetherElite Trainer Box, theDestined Rivalsbox will likely feature card sleeves, damage counter dice, a competition-legal coin-flip die, condition markers, card dividers to go with the artistically designed box, basic energy cards, and booster packs for theDestined Rivalsset.
The Elite Trainer Box is a fan-favorite for every set, but there are always plenty of other offerings with a release of a new set as well. Besides being able to purchase individual booster packs, there is often some form of a Poster Collection, Binder Collection, Tech Sticker Collection, and more packs.Pokémon TCG: Prismatic Evolutionsalso featured a “Surprise Box” for players, with randomly selected foil promo cardsand a uniquely designed card box, and a Premium Figure box that was an instant collectible.
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The problems for players attempting to collect this Pokémon TCG set have been present since day 1, but it doesn’t look to be going away anytime soon.
Sadly, until more information is officially announced, there is little more than speculation to go off of for the set at this point. After theJourney Togetherset has its release in March, the company will undoubtedly turn their marketing attention toDestined Rivalsand give fans the information they are eager for. This set, with its likely emphasis on Trainer and Team Rocket cards, is sure to be an exciting one with some powerful cards and highly collectible pieces. Players can expect thisPokémon Trading Card Gameset to be launching this May, with more information to come.
