Can you believe that Pokémon TCG Pocket, the streamlined, mobile version of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, has only been around for a year? It seemed to so quickly and effortlessly take over the lives of Pokémon fans everywhere that it feels as if it’s been around for much longer. Let’s check out the news and updates from The Pokémon Company as the game celebrates its first anniversary!

Pokémon TCG Pocket’s 1 Year Milestone Announcement

First up, The Pokémon Company announced that they’ve surpassed a frankly jaw-dropping 150 million users since launching on October 30th, 2024. Given the enduring popularity of Pokémon, that’s perhaps not surprising, but it’s especially notable given that the official, fully featured adaptation of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, known as Pokémon TCG Live, hasn’t made nearly as much of an impact.

That said, Pokémon TCG Pocket was built from the ground up to be a more accessible, quicker to learn and easier to play experience. Though full of an initially bewildering number of currencies and timers, as well as associated microtransactions, its focus on not just ease of use, but also a visually rewarding experience that takes advantage of its digital nature means that it’s proven to be a much more audience friendly title for all ages and experience levels.

New Expansion Announced: Mega Rising

On the exact date that Pokémon TCG Pocket celebrates its anniversary (that’s October 30th, 2025), the Mega Rising expansion will be released. Mirroring the current era of the physical Pokémon TCG’s newly introduced Mega series, Mega Rising will see the debut of Mega-Evolved Pokémon to Pokémon TCG Pocket. Three new booster packs will be on offer, each featuring a different Mega-Evolved Pokémon: Mega Gyarados, Mega Blaziken and Mega Altaria.

New Pokémon TCG Pocket Features and Updates

Along with the Mega Rising expansion, other updates will be arriving in Pokémon TCG Pocket. The Wonder Pick feature will be improved, to ensure that unobtained cards from the current expansion will appear more often. The number of cards players currently own will also be displayed on each card when using Wonder Pick.

The Pokémon Company have also revealed the following: players will soon be able to trade cards from the latest expansions and booster packs. In addition to cards from 1-4 diamond rarity, ★ rarity cards, ★★ and Shiny 1–Shiny 2 rarity cards will also be eligible for trading.

Finally, players will also be able to use the new Share feature to give 1-4 diamond rarity cards with their friends, at the rate of up to 1 card per friend, per day. The latest expansion will be compatible with this feature, and players can receive 1 card per day using this feature.

Upcoming Events in Pokémon TCG Pocket

The anniversary news concludes with a list of upcoming events for players to look forward to taking part in:

• First Anniversary Celebration Campaign (Oct. 29 at 11 p.m. PDT to Dec. 16 at 9:59 p.m. PST): To commemorate the first anniversary of Pokémon TCG Pocket, each player will receive a Mega Rising: Mega Gyarados, Mega Rising: Mega Blaziken and Mega Rising: Mega Altaria booster pack, at no cost, which can be claimed in Gifts upon first log-in beginning Oct. 30, 2025.
• First Anniversary Celebration Special Missions (Oct. 29 at 11 p.m. PDT to Dec. 16 at 9:59 p.m. PST): During this period, players can tackle special missions to obtain a celebratory first-anniversary emblem and other rewards.
• PROMO Reissue Drop Event 2025 (Oct. 29 at 11 p.m. PDT to Nov. 8 at 9:59 p.m. PST): Players can take on special solo battles to obtain previously released A Series promo packs vols. 1–6 and 8–13.
• PROMO Reissue Wonder Pick Event (Oct. 29 at 11 p.m. PDT to Nov. 13 at 9:59 p.m. PST): A Series promo cards previously available from wonder pick will reappear in wonder picks during this period. Players can also complete missions to earn an event shop ticket which can be exchanged for one promo card at the Shop.

It’s clearly a very exciting time to be a Pokémon TCG Pocket fan, and this is no doubt the first anniversary of many more to come!

Check out our feature on accessibility in digital card gaming, and our thoughts about what Pokémon TCG Pocket could be like as a physical card game!