The Pokemon TCG hype train keeps on rolling in 2021! Even though the card game’s newest set, Chilling Reign, is still due out in a few weeks, we already have new information on the set after that. Evolving Skies will be smiling at us soon!

What is Evolving Skies?

Evolving Skies is an expansion set for the Pokemon Trading Card Game, providing new cards for players to use in their decks, and for collectors to trade and collect. Evolving Skies will be the seventh set in the Sword & Shield series, featuring Pokemon and characters from Generation VIII, as debuted in the Sword & Shield video game and its expansions. 

I really hope we get a Staraptor V/VMAX in Evolving Skies! It's been awhile. #evolvingskies #PokemonBrilliantDiamond #PokemonTCG pic.twitter.com/zwysAvQNiI

— Alex Wilson (@alexwilsonTCG) May 26, 2021

What is Evolving Skies' release date?

Evolving Skies will be available on August 27th 2021. On this day, players will be able to get booster packs, booster boxes, and Elite Trainer Boxes full of Evolving Skies booster packs. 

As per normal, the Evolving Skies prerelease weekend should precede the release by a week, and Build & Battle kits should be available on August 13th. With any luck, your friendly local game store can host an in-person prerelease event!

What will Evolving Skies include?

It appears that Evolving Skies may include upwards of 140 cards, before secret rares are counted. This is the result of fan speculation, though. Evolving Skies’ predecessor Chilling Reign is derived from the Japanese sets Silver Lance, Jet-Black Spirit, and Peerless Fighters. Chilling Reign also has about 50 cards cut from that combined set. If Evolving Skies follows in those steps, it will be made from the Japanese sets Skyscraping Perfection, Blue Sky Stream, and Eevee Heroes, with some cards reserved to be released later.

From the Eevee Heroes set, we can expect Evolving Skies to inherit Eevee and the many Pokémon that evolve from it. Each Eeveelution will have its own V form, with Leafeon, Glaceon, Sylveon and Umbreon getting VMAX forms as well.

There’s also a new term used in Skyscraping Perfection and Blue Sky Stream - V-UNION. We’ve also seen some preliminary images of V-UNION decks featuring Mewtwo, Greninja, and Zacian, which will probably be released alongside Evolving Skies. While we don’t have any info on what V-UNION does in the game, it’s an exciting turn of phrase. We’re just as eager as you for more information!

What Pokemon will be in Evolving Skies? 

Let’s not bury the lede - Dragon types are back! Rayquaza VMAX has recently been spoiled for the Japanese set Blue Sky Stream. And, holy cow, this card is bonkers! With an Ability to discard your hand and draw 3 cards, usable while on the bench, and no Weaknesses while active, Rayquaza VMAX is a Rapid Strike pokémon that will shake up the meta.

In parallel, Blue Sky Stream’s sister set Skyscraping Perfection features the Steel/Dragon pokémon Duraldon and its Gigantimax form - undoubtedly a Single Strike pokémon.

Additionally, the inclusion of Eevee Heroes seems to be confirmed for Evolving Skies. Recently, The Pokémon Company announced its Evolving Skies product line, with all eight Eeveelutions featured on the Elite Trainer Boxes.

And, of course, Evolving Skies is a main-line Sword & Shield expansion. It’s reasonable to expect that we’ll see more unique Pokemon from the Galar region, as featured in the video games; there may even be more Galarian versions of existing Pokemon.

Perpetual Evolution

Even in the game’s current state of fervor, the Pokémon Company still finds new ways to ramp up the excitement. The constant stream of new Pokémon, new cards, and new mechanics keep the hype train chuggin’. We hope you’re just as excited as we are for this ever-expanding world!

If you're looking for updates on Evolving Skies products, be sure to subscribe to email notifications for each product found on the Evolving Skies collection page. Just navigate to the product page and an "Email When Available" button should appear.