In the Pokémon TCG, there aren't many mons that give off more of a smug, self-satisfied energy than Voltorb. This pissed off Pokéball Pokémon constantly shoots out the angriest glare that you've ever seen, and somehow manages to scowl despite having no mouth. Fans of this furious little sphere will be delighted to hear that Voltorb is finally getting its own ex card to bring it up into the big leagues.
In Japan, Voltorb ex will be released on December 19th as part of the "Start Deck 100 Battle Collection". This is a selection of 100 decks that are randomly sorted into sealed boxes ready to be opened. While many of the cards in these decks are just reprints, there are also several brand new cards like Voltorb ex.
You might be wondering why Voltorb was chosen to get the ex treatment. After all, it isn't even fully evolved. Why not go for its bigger, more explosive, final form Electrode? Well, we don't have an unambiguous explanation from the Pokémon Company, but it might have something to do with Voltorb's Pokédex number.
On the national Pokédex, Voltorb happens to be the 100th listed Pokémon. This matches up with the 100 decks in the battle collection. Whether it's a coincidence or deliberate, the 100 deck collection is paying homage to the 100th Pokémon.
Of course, there may be a completely different reason for this unexpected ex upgrade. Perhaps one of the game's designers just really likes Voltorb. That might go some way to explain the existence of the $10,000 Pokémon 151 Voltorb promo.
An English printing of Voltorb ex is scheduled to come along in January 2026, when the set Ascended Heroes gets released.
Whether you're a fan of Voltorbs or Volbeats, there's always plenty of Pokémon discussion to be had on the Wargamer Discord.