Pokemon TCG to Introduce New Kinds of Rare Cards

The Pokemon Trading Card Game will introduce two new kinds of rare cards in its final Sword & Shield set. Earlier this week, The Pokemon Company announced VSTAR Universe, the final Japanese set of the current Sword & Shield series of cards. The new set won't contain any new cards in the technical sense – all the cards will be reprints of cards published in past Sword & Shield sets. However, all of the cards will use new artwork. Additionally, the set will also introduce two new kinds of rare cards – "Art Rare" cards and "Special Art Rare" cards. Both types of cards use full artwork, with the Art Rare featuring full art versions of standard Pokemon cards and Special Art Rare cards featuring full art versions of VMAX and VSTAR cards. 

PokeBeach has confirmed that VSTAR Universe will be printed in the US as "Crown Zenith." This appears to be a special set that won't have individual booster packs for sale – instead, the set will only be available in special boxed products. "Crown Zenith" will be released in January 2023.

One more standard card set will be released this December – Silver Tempest will feature the last standard cards for the Sword & Shield series. Afterwards, the popular Pokemon card game will switch over to the Scarlet & Violet set, which will add new Pokemon from the upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet series and bring back Pokemon-ex cards, which will be high-powered cards with abilities that activate with low energy costs. More new mechanics based on Terastallization is also expected, although no details have been announced. 

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