It's been less than a year since Prismatic Evolutions rocked the Pokémon TCG and, though life in the hobby has been a rollercoaster ever since, it's safe to say that the newest Pokémon set, Phantasmal Flames, has given me hope for the Mega Evolution era. So, naturally, it's time for another special (or 'high-value' set) to come along and blow everything up again! As of Wednesday, we now know Pokémon Ascended Heroes is coming in January 2026, delivering a Dragonite focus - and not being delivered to my home, because I doubt I'll get my hands on any.
It's common for every fan's eyes to immediately fix on the next expansion right after the last one drops, but this time feels increasingly daunting, because when Ascended Heroes joins Pokémon TCG's ever-growing roster, it'll be almost exactly 12 months since Prismatic arrived and kicked off a year of stock shortages, mega expensive singles, and the lack of cards in my collection. (I'll never forgive you, Pokémon Company.)
But I've got to stay focused on the positive. As revealed by PokéBeach, Pokémon Ascended Heroes is the name of the upcoming expansion, which is the English equivalent of the Mega Dream ex set releasing in Japan later this month. Like Mega Dream, Ascended Heroes puts the oft-forgotten Dragonite as the focus, and while I'm slightly annoyed that another draconic 'mon is taking the lead, I'm at least happy that it's not Charizard again. Unless you count Charizard Y on one of the Tech Sticker collections. Sigh. I'm just a bit done with him now - for more details read my shamelessly anti-Zard Phantasmal Flames review.
There's no 36 pack booster box this time (as per standard routine for high-value sets) but there is a gloriously vibrant Elite Trainer Box to pick up. Honestly, this might be my favorite box artwork for an expansion's ETB in years, and I'm tempted to put it up on display - after ripping all of the packs open, of course. Interestingly, one of the chase cards for Mega Dream ex - N's Zekrom - is a promo card included with the Ascended Heroes ETB, and there'll be a Pokémon Center-stamped version for those lucky enough to buy one from the company directly.
Alongside the ETB, there are a few other little products to pick up. The booster bundle gives you six booster packs for card chasing; there's a selection of Tech Sticker and Premium Poster collections to pick up; and PokéBeach reports there are a few other products yet to be revealed. There's also a blister with an unrevealed promo card, and a set of five mini tins to grab. That means there will be no official Ascended Heroes single packs, either.
Unsurprisingly, I expect Mega Gengar from Mega Dream ex to be a major chase for Ascended Heroes; in fact, considering that listings for the Japanese version have sold for $800 recently, I reckon it'll probably be the primary chase of the set. But we've still got to see the full card list to see which singles will be Pokémon Ascended Heroes' most sought-after card, and which chases will inevitably become the most expensive Pokémon cards of the expansion.
If you're keen to get some Ascended Heroes products, pre-orders aren't live just yet, but I recommend checking out the following retailers in the coming days to get a shot:
- Chaos Cards (UK-based, global)
- Walmart (US)
- Sam's Club (US)
- Amazon (global)
- Magic Madhouse (global)
- Pokémon Center (global)
I'd also recommend joining our Wargamer Discord server, where you can discuss the Pokémon TCG and also be kept up-to-date on discounts or available products whenever we share articles.