# When did Sword & Shield come out?

> Sword & Shield was released on 7 February 2020, in the Sword & Shield series.
>
> Source: https://www.nomekop.app/faqs/when-did-sword-shield-come-out — NOMEKOP, an independent Pokémon TCG binder tool
> (not affiliated with Nintendo / The Pokémon Company). Figures as of June 2026.

**Sword & Shield was released on 7 February 2020, in the Sword & Shield series.**

## Sword & Shield release date

Sword & Shield launched on 7 February 2020 as a Sword & Shield-series expansion. It carries 202 main-set cards, or 216 counting its 14 secret rares — the #4 largest set Nomekop tracks by printed count, with 0 Illustration and Special Illustration Rares in the pool and marquee Pokémon like Snorlax, Morpeko, Zacian, Lapras and Sableye.

## What the 2020 set brought

The standout cards that arrived with Sword & Shield:

- [Snorlax VMAX (#206)](/card/swsh1-206) — Rare Rainbow (~$96.57)
- [Snorlax VMAX (#142)](/card/swsh1-142) — Rare Holo VMAX (~$63.86)
- [Marnie (#200)](/card/swsh1-200) — Rare Ultra (~$38.23)
- [Snorlax V (#197)](/card/swsh1-197) — Rare Ultra (~$31.13)
- [Morpeko VMAX (#204)](/card/swsh1-204) — Rare Rainbow (~$24.78)

Its top card on the secondary market is Snorlax VMAX (#206), around $96.57.

## Star Pokémon from the Sword & Shield release

The marquee Pokémon that debuted (or returned) in Sword & Shield, with their prints:

- **Snorlax** — Snorlax V (#197), Snorlax VMAX (#206)
- **Morpeko** — Morpeko V (#190), Morpeko VMAX (#204)
- **Zacian** — Zacian V (#195), Zacian V (#211)
- **Lapras** — Lapras V (#189), Lapras VMAX (#203)
- **Sableye** — Sableye V (#194)

## Where Sword & Shield sits in the lineup

Among the sets Nomekop tracks, Sword & Shield is the #4 largest set Nomekop tracks. A full master set of it runs to 390 cards including 165 reverse holos, so the 7 February 2020 release still gives collectors plenty to chase well after launch day — whether you're after the 202-card base set or every print.

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