# When did Pitch Black come out?

> Pitch Black was released on 17 July 2026, in the Mega Evolution series.
>
> Source: https://www.nomekop.app/faqs/when-did-pitch-black-come-out — NOMEKOP, an independent Pokémon TCG binder tool
> (not affiliated with Nintendo / The Pokémon Company). Figures as of June 2026.

**Pitch Black was released on 17 July 2026, in the Mega Evolution series.**

## Pitch Black release date

Pitch Black launched on 17 July 2026 as a Mega Evolution-series expansion. It carries 84 main-set cards, or 120 counting its 36 secret rares — the #34 largest set Nomekop tracks by printed count, with 17 Illustration and Special Illustration Rares in the pool and marquee Pokémon like Mega Darkrai, Morpeko, Mega Zeraora, Mega Chandelure and Fomantis.

## What the 2026 set brought

The standout cards that arrived with Pitch Black:

- [Mega Darkrai ex (#120)](/card/me5-120) — Mega Hyper Rare
- [Mega Zeraora ex (#114)](/card/me5-114) — Special Illustration Rare
- [Mega Chandelure ex (#115)](/card/me5-115) — Special Illustration Rare
- [Mega Darkrai ex (#116)](/card/me5-116) — Special Illustration Rare
- [Morpeko ex (#117)](/card/me5-117) — Special Illustration Rare

Its rarest pull is Mega Darkrai ex (#120), a Mega Hyper Rare.

## Star Pokémon from the Pitch Black release

The marquee Pokémon that debuted (or returned) in Pitch Black, with their prints:

- **Mega Darkrai** — Mega Darkrai ex (#48), Mega Darkrai ex (#101), Mega Darkrai ex (#116), Mega Darkrai ex (#120)
- **Morpeko** — Morpeko ex (#55), Morpeko ex (#102), Morpeko ex (#117)
- **Mega Zeraora** — Mega Zeraora ex (#27), Mega Zeraora ex (#98), Mega Zeraora ex (#114)
- **Mega Chandelure** — Mega Chandelure ex (#38), Mega Chandelure ex (#99), Mega Chandelure ex (#115)
- **Fomantis** — Fomantis (#85)

## Where Pitch Black sits in the lineup

Among the sets Nomekop tracks, Pitch Black is the #34 largest set Nomekop tracks. A full master set of it runs to 194 cards including 74 reverse holos, so the 17 July 2026 release still gives collectors plenty to chase well after launch day — whether you're after the 84-card base set or every print.

Figures from the pokemontcg.io dataset, as of June 2026.