Pokemon TCG Announces Final Sword & Shield Set

The Pokemon Trading Card Game has announced its final standard set for 2022, which will likely mark the end of the Sword & Shield series of cards. Earlier this week, The Pokemon Company announced Sword & Shield—Silver Tempest, a brand new set of Pokemon cards launching this November. The expansion adds over 190 cards, including six new Pokemon VSTAR cards. The new cards include a few surprises, with Alolan Vulpix and Unown both getting VSTAR cards. Other VSTAR cards confirmed for the set include Lugia VSTAR, Serperior VSTAR, and Regidrago VSTAR. The set will also include 15 Pokemon V cards and one new Pokemon VMAX card, along with 30 new Character Gallery alternate art cards. 

Silver Tempest will be the last set of standard cards released for the Sword & Shield series, although players can expect one more special set to be released in early 2023. Per the Pokemon TCG news site PokeBeach, the unnamed "special" set will be released in early 2023. Based on the history of past special sets, that set will likely be sold in special products as opposed to standalone booster sets.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game has already confirmed plans to launch a new series of cards based on Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, the upcoming pair of new Pokemon games. The new set will bring back Pokemon-ex cards, which will be low energy cost Pokemon cards that include Basic, Stage 1, and Stage 2 Pokemon. Pokemon-ex cards have attacks and moves that only cost a low amount of energy, meaning they can quickly make an impact in the game. They will also cost Two Prizes when Knocked Out. A new variant kind of Pokemon-ex card was also teased, but we'll likely have to wait a bit longer to get news as to what that new mechanic entails. 

Sword & Shield—Silver Tempest will be released on November 11, 2022.