Fans of the Pokemon Trading Card Game still have more than a month to go before the release of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet – Journey Together, but it seems the follow-up set has already been leaked. According to a report from PokeBeach, this spring will see the release of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet – Destined Rivals. The set will apparently be available on May 30th, and will feature cards from multiple Japanese sets, as is usually the case. PokeBeach expects that Destined Rivals will be composed of Japan’s Heat Wave Arena set, The Glory of Team Rocket set, and cards from Steven’s Metagross ex and Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex decks.
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There had been speculation that the theme of the set would center around Team Rocket and their Pokemon as a selling point. Undoubtedly, that would have appealed to fans nostalgic for the old Team Rocket set from decades ago. However, PokeBeach notes that putting Team Rocket’s name in the title could have come across as misleading, given the smaller number of cards based on the characters. Destined Rivals is a better option in that regard, as it does a nice job encompassing the overall characters that will be represented in the set. There should be a Rocket’s Mewtwo card to look forward to, but much more beyond that.
The big hook for 2025’s early TCG sets is that Trainer’s Pokemon are making a comeback. That concept originated with the Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge sets back in the day, and Journey Together similarly features cards associated with popular characters from the video games, including N, Hop, Iono, and Lillie. Destined Rivals will continue this concept, with several other popular characters. In addition to Steven and Marnie, we can likely expect to see Cynthia, Misty, Arven, and Ethan, as those characters have been confirmed for Heat Wave Arena. For those unfamiliar with Ethan, that’s the name normally connected to the protagonist from Pokemon Gold and Silver, and his cards from Heat Wave Arena include Ho-oh and Cyndaquil.
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As is always the case with leaks, readers are advised to take this information about Pokemon Scarlet & Violet – Destined Rivals with a grain of salt. PokeBeach tends to be a very reliable source when it comes to Pokemon leaks, especially those related to the TCG; the site accurately had details about Pokemon Scarlet & Violet – Journey Together about a month before an official announcement was made. Hopefully that means we’ll see official word from The Pokemon Company in the near future. It’s possible we could hear about the set on February 27th in time for Pokemon Day. A Pokemon Presents livestream will likely take place that day, detailing plans for the coming months.
Are you excited about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet – Destined Rivals? How do you feel about the return of Trainer’s Pokemon to the TCG? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky atย @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram atย @Dachampgaming!
