Mega Evolution’s return to the Pokémon TCG just got its darkest chapter yet.
The Abyss Eye set has been officially revealed, headlined by Mega Darkrai ex and confirmed for a 22 May release in Japan – timed, with no small amount of theatrical flair, to a new moon.
What’s in the Abyss Eye Set
Abyss Eye is Japan’s M5 set and sits at 81 cards in its main set, with an estimated 35–40 secret rares bringing the total to roughly 120 cards – consistent with predecessors Nullifying Zero and Ninja Spinner.
The headline card, Mega Darkrai ex, is a 280 HP Darkness-type Basic with two attacks worth knowing about:
- Night Raid – [D][D] – 110+ damage; deals an additional 110 damage if any of your Benched Pokémon have damage counters on them
- Abyss Eye – [D][D][D] – instantly Knocks Out the opponent’s Active Pokémon if it’s affected by any Special Condition
The Mega Evolution ex Rule applies: when Mega Darkrai ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
That’s a significant commitment from the player running it – but the instant-KO ceiling on Abyss Eye makes the risk worth serious consideration.
Supporting the strategy are Dark Bell, a Trainer Item that Confuses both Active Pokémon (Darkness-types immune), and Shadow Darkness Energy, which protects Benched Darkness Pokémon from opponent attack damage.
Malamar‘s Brain Crush attack, which deals 130 damage but only fires if the opponent’s Active Pokémon is Confused, slots neatly into the same gameplan.
Mega Evolution Continues Its TCG Comeback
Abyss Eye is the fifth set in Japan’s current Mega expansion series, continuing the mechanic’s return after its prominence in the XY era.
That revival is tied directly to Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which reintroduced Mega Evolutions to the video game side of the franchise – and the TCG has been tracking closely behind.
Chaos Rising, releasing the same week in May, is bringing its own wave of Mega Evolution cards to the format, making this a particularly stacked month for the TCG.
One note worth flagging for collectors: this is the first Pokémon TCG set to carry a price increase in Japan, with booster packs rising from 180 yen to 200 yen and booster boxes from 5,400 yen to 6,000 yen, following a Creatures announcement about rising material costs earlier this year.
It’s a modest bump, but it’s the first – and worth watching as a precedent.
Abyss Eye Release Date and What to Expect
Japan gets Abyss Eye on 22 May. The English equivalent, Pitch Black, is confirmed for 17 July – described as a near 1:1 adaptation of the Japanese set, meaning it will also run small by current English set standards.
No product images or English-specific reveals have been announced yet.
Looking further ahead, Storm Emeralda featuring Mega Rayquaza ex is slated for 31 July in Japan, alongside three MEGA Starter Set ex Decks.
The Mega expansion series shows no signs of slowing down.
GamesHub will continue tracking Abyss Eye and Pitch Black coverage as both releases approach.
Are you building around Mega Darkrai ex for the competitive scene, or is this one strictly for the collection?