The Mega Evolution era of the Pokémon Trading Card Game continues to gain momentum with the newly announced expansion, Chaos Rising. The Pokémon Company has solidified a global launch for May 22, preceded by local prerelease events taking place from May 9 through May 17. Digital enthusiasts can get a head start when the set arrives on Pokémon TCG Live on May 21.
According to the official reveal, Trainers will find Lumiose City under siege as Mega Floette ex “wreaks havoc” under the cover of night. To counter this looming peril, players can harness the formidable powers of Mega Greninja ex, alongside other heavy-hitters like Mega Pyroar ex and Mega Dragalge ex. A new Espurr card was also teased as a charming addition to the upcoming roster.
The expansion is set to be a collector’s highlight, featuring an impressive variety of rarities: five Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, five standard Pokémon ex, 11 illustration rares, 18 ultra rares (including Trainers), and six coveted special illustration rare cards. In total, Chaos Rising will boast over 120 cards, including at least 20 Trainer cards and more than 35 pieces of specialized artwork depicting the bond between Pokémon and their Trainers.
Featured Cards in Chaos Rising: Mega Greninja ex, Mega Dragalge ex, Mega Floette ex, Mega Pyroar ex, and Espurr.
Images: The Pokémon Company
Chaos Rising marks the fourth chapter in the current Mega Evolution cycle, which debuted in late 2025. This era has reimagined the mechanic, treating Mega Evolutions as traditional stage-based progressions rather than requiring the classic Spirit Link tool cards to maintain a turn. This release follows the massive 290-card Ascended Heroes set from January and the Perfect Order expansion, which is slated to hit shelves on March 27.
The Special Illustration Rare version of Mega Greninja ex is already being hailed as the set’s premier “chase” card, and it carries significant lore implications. While the anime famously introduced Ash-Greninja via the “Bond Phenomenon,” that specific form was never classified as a Mega Evolution. It wasn’t until the reveal of the Pokémon Legends: Z-A video game that Greninja received a canonical Mega form. Consequently, Chaos Rising represents the historic TCG debut of a true Mega Greninja.
While the exhaustive card list remains under wraps, Chaos Rising is poised to deepen the Mega Evolution theme that currently dominates the competitive meta, offering fans a perfect blend of strategic power and stunning artistic flair.
Source: Polygon
