Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company
Hot on the heels of the Pokémon TCG‘s Journey Together expansion, Destined Rivals comes out on May 30th. The next expansion in the Pokémon TCG‘s Scarlet & Violet era, Destined Rivals features more Trainer’s Pokémon. Furthermore, it introduces the infamous Team Rocket into this era of the beloved trading card game.
According to a press release that The Pokémon Company International put out on Monday, March 24th, Destined Rivals releases on May 30th in participating retail stores worldwide. It features various Trainer’s Pokémon, such as a Mewtwo (ex, in its case) owned by Team Rocket and controlled by Giovanni. Other notable Pokémon ex include Ho-Oh ex, owned by Ethan, the male protagonist of Pokémon Gold & Silver, and Garchomp ex, trained by Cynthia, the Sinnoh Region’s Champion in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum.
Pokémon TCG‘s Press Release Re: Destined Rivals
The full press release from the Pokémon TCG goes as follows:
March 24th, 2025 — Today, The Pokémon Company International announced that a new expansion for the bestselling Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals, will be available beginning May 30th, 2025 at participating retailers worldwide.
Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals will see the return of the popular Trainer’s Pokémon mechanic, but with a twist, introducing the infamous Team Rocket — a villainous organisation in the Pokémon world — into the mix. Players can choose their allegiance by joining forces with heroic duos like Ethan and Ho-Oh ex or Cynthia and Garchomp ex, or they can embrace mischievous adventure by teaming up with Team Rocket and their Pokémon, such as Mewtwo ex, under Giovanni’s command.
In addition, players can discover the distinctive artwork of new Trainer’s Pokémon cards, showcasing the special bond shared between a skilled Pokémon Trainer and their Pokémon, with each card featuring the Trainer’s name.
Noteworthy cards from Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals include:
- 83 new cards tagged as Team Rocket’s
- 17 Pokémon ex, including 10 Trainer’s Pokémon ex
- 23 illustration rare Pokémon
- 11 special illustration rare Pokémon
- Six hyper rare gold-etched cards
Players can find Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals in booster packs, Elite Trainer Boxes and various collections at participating retailers worldwide.
Pokémon TCG players will have the opportunity to play with Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals before launch by attending one of the many Prerelease tournaments held as part of the Play! Pokémon program, taking place beginning May 17th 2025, at participating independent retailers.
Ahead of the release of the tabletop version, players will be able to play with Scarlet & Violet—Destined Rivals digitally starting May 29th 2025 via the Pokémon TCG Live app for iOS, Android, macOS and Windows devices. Players can collect and battle with new Trainer’s Pokémon cards and receive in-game bonuses when logging in to the app.
Pokémon TCG Rivalries For The Ages
Let’s now open the floor to discussion, Pokémon fans! Are you excited about the Pokémon TCG‘s next expansion to hit shelves? How soon do you anticipate getting ahold of the cards in Destined Rivals? Are you excited for Team Rocket’s return to the card game? Sound off below!
