Pokémon 30 Years: Everything You Need to Know About the Big 30th Celebration Set

Updated on September 21, 2026

Pokémon Trading Card Game: 30 Years is the major anniversary expansion celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon TCG. Internationally, the set is known as Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration. The expansion was officially released on September 16, 2026, and celebrates three decades of Pokémon cards with new illustrations, special Pikachu cards, the Classic Collection and the new Rarity Futuristic Rare.

Much more information is now available than at the time of the initial announcement. Officially, 30th Celebration includes over 150 cards, including 30 Pikachu Rare, 30 Classic Collection cards, more than 20 Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare cards, as well as exactly two Futuristic Rare cards. In addition, there is an extensive product lineup that continues into October and November 2026.

At cardcosmos, you’ll find products from several language regions. In addition to the German Pokémon 30 Years products, Japanese and Chinese anniversary products are also currently part of the shared Pokémon 30th Celebration Collection. The products celebrate the same 30-year anniversary, but can differ by Language and region in terms of card pool, packaging, booster size and product lineup.

What is Pokémon 30 Years, or 30th Celebration?

Pokémon 30 Years is a special anniversary expansion for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The set combines the past of the TCG with new cards and modern illustrations. Rather than focusing on just one generation, the expansion draws on Pokémon, card styles and memories from three decades.

Several distinct collecting themes take center stage: 30 different Pikachu Rare cards, the Classic Collection featuring well-known cards from earlier eras, modern Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare cards, as well as two Futuristic Rare cards by YOSHIROTTEN.

Various names appear in searches. In the German market, people mainly search for Pokémon 30 Years, while internationally they search for Pokémon 30th Celebration, Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration or Pokémon 30th Anniversary. All refer to the major anniversary release celebrating 30 years of Pokémon TCG, though regional products may have different contents.

Pokémon 30th Celebration: The key details

• German name: Pokémon Trading Card Game: 30 Years
• International name: Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration
• International set Release: September 16, 2026
• Set size: over 150 cards
• Pikachu Rare: 30 different Pikachu cards
• Classic Collection: 30 iconic cards from the history of the Pokémon TCG
• Illustration Rare & Special Illustration Rare: more than 20 new cards
• Futuristic Rare: two cards by YOSHIROTTEN
• Booster: five holographic cards plus one holographic basic Energy card in the international edition
• Tournament legality: Main set cards from September 25, 2026; Classic Collection is not tournament legal

Especially important for Collectors: Every international 30th Celebration Booster contains one of the 30 Pikachu Rare cards. This gives every pack a direct connection to the anniversary.

30 Pikachu Rare cards: The set’s big collecting goal

Pikachu is one of the best-known Pokémon of all and therefore features prominently in the anniversary set. There are a total of 30 different Pikachu Rare cards with different illustrations. Each 30th Celebration Booster contains one of these Pikachu cards.

This creates an unusually clear collecting goal: anyone who wants to can try to collect all 30 Pikachu Rare cards. This sub-collection is especially appealing to Binder collectors because it makes the 30th anniversary directly visible.

Futuristic Rare featuring Mew ex and Mewtwo ex

The new Rarity Futuristic Rare was introduced with 30th Celebration. It is now confirmed that the set contains exactly two cards of this Rarity: Mew ex and Mewtwo ex. Both were designed by Japanese artist and designer YOSHIROTTEN.

The Futuristic Rare cards are deliberately the opposite of the nostalgic Classic Collection. While one part of the set looks back at 30 years of Pokémon TCG, Mew ex and Mewtwo ex showcase a modern, vibrant future aesthetic.

Classic Collection: 30 iconic Pokémon cards return

The Classic Collection consists of 30 well-known cards from different eras of the Pokémon TCG. This means the anniversary set not only revisits the early years, but also celebrates different Generationen and game mechanics from the past three decades.

For Players, there is one important rule to keep in mind: cards from the regular 30th Celebration main set will be legal for Play! Pokémon tournaments starting on September 25, 2026. Cards from the Classic Collection, however, are not legal for tournaments.

The Classic Collection remains one of the most important parts of the set for Collectors. The combination of modern cards and familiar classics makes the anniversary feel of 30th Celebration especially clear.

Day & Night artworks and new Illustration Rares

Another major theme of Pokémon 30 Years is the transition between day and night. Several cards and products feature these two sides of the anniversary. Pokémon such as Sylveon ex and Umbreon ex fit right in, as do the Ultra-Premium Collections Day and Night arriving later.

More than 20 new Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare cards have been officially confirmed. Alongside Pikachu Rare, Classic Collection, and Futuristic Rare, the set therefore offers several different collecting themes.

Some of the well-known Pokémon in the set include Mew ex, Mewtwo ex, Umbreon ex, Salamence ex, Greninja ex, and Sylveon ex. This anniversary set features several Generationen and fan favorites.

Which products are available for Pokémon 30th Celebration?

The product line for Pokémon 30 Years isn't launching all at once. A first major wave already launched in September 2026, with more products following in October and November. In addition, cardcosmos carries Japanese and Chinese anniversary products with their own regional Release dates.

German Booster, Elite Trainer Box, and smaller collections

Anyone looking for an extensive introduction to the German set will find nine Booster packs, a full-art promo card featuring Nidorina, and typical ETB accessories such as Card Sleeves, Energy cards, Dice, and a collector's box in the Pokémon 30 Years Elite Trainer Box in German.

The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Booster Bundle in German is also available for a pure Booster opening. The international product version contains six Booster packs and is part of the October wave of the anniversary set.

The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Poster Collection in German combines three Booster with three Promo Cards featuring Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, as well as a large anniversary poster. The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Binders Collection in German combines five Booster with a themed 9-pocket card binder.

The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Tech Sticker Collection in German features Alolan Exeggutor or Lucario. Depending on the variant, it contains a matching Promo Card, Sticker, and three Booster packs.

For smaller openings, there is the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Mini Tin Box in a random German variant with two Boosters, along with a matching art card and Stickers. The Pokémon 30th Anniversary 2-Pack Blister with Eevee in German combines two Booster with an Eevee Promo Card and a coin.

Sylveon ex and Greninja ex collections and Tin Boxes

Fans of the two day-and-night Pokémon can choose from several products. The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Sylveon ex Collection Box in German and the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Greninja ex Collection Box in German each contain a holographic Promo Card, an oversized version, and four Booster packs.

There is also the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Day with Sylveon ex Tin Box in German and the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Night with Greninja ex Tin Box in German. Both combine a fixed Promo with several booster packs in a collectible tin.

Battle decks featuring Espeon ex and Umbreon ex

Two ready-to-play anniversary decks are being released for Players. The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Espeon ex & Victini Battle deck in German and the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Umbreon ex & Zeraora Battle deck in German each contain a fully holographic 60-card deck.

The Release of these Battle decks has been announced internationally for October 30, 2026. The Espeon ex Deck also includes an illustration rare-style Victini Promo Card, while Zeraora is the corresponding Promo in the Umbreon ex Deck.

Mew and Mewtwo Figure Collections

In November, two especially eye-catching products featuring Futuristic Rare Pokémon will follow. The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Mew Figure Collection in German and the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Mewtwo Figure Collection in German each combine a Promo, an oversized card, a figure, and five Booster packs.

Ditto Premium Collection and Ultra-Premium Collections

The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Ditto Premium Collection in German is part of a later product wave and includes, among other things, eight 30th Celebration Boosters, a Ditto promo card, and a colorful acrylic display.

Among the biggest anniversary products are the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Ultra-Premium Collection Day in German and the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Ultra-Premium Collection Night in German.

The international Day-&-Night Ultra-Premium Collections each contain 29 regular 30th Celebration Boosters and an additional special Classic Collection Booster with three cards. They also include promo cards featuring Pikachu ex and Espeon ex or Umbreon ex, along with plenty of Accessories.

Japanese Pokémon 30th Celebration products

The Japanese anniversary products are also part of the 30th Celebration product range, but are independent regional releases. At cardcosmos, the September 25, 2026 is currently listed as the Release date for the Japanese products.

The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Collection 20-pack Booster Display in Japanese contains 20 Booster packs and is especially suited to Collectors of the Japanese edition. If you only want to open individual packs, you can also find the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Celebration Booster in Japanese.

A dedicated Collectors and play product is the Pokémon 30th Celebration Premium Deck Set Espeon & Umbreon in Japanese. It contains two ready-to-play 60-card decks featuring Espeon ex and Umbreon ex, as well as Accessories such as coins, a Playmat, and a metal deck case.

Chinese Pokémon 30th Anniversary Celebration products

The Chinese product range has also grown considerably by now. The currently listed Chinese anniversary products at cardcosmos have a October 7, 2026 Release date.

For classic openings, there is the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Celebration Booster Display in Chinese with 20 boosters, as well as the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Celebration Booster in Chinese as a single pack.

The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Celebration Coin Set in Chinese also appeals to Collectors of Pikachu coins and special TCG accessories.

The Pokémon 30th Anniversary Dream Figure Box Pikachu in Chinese is considerably more unusual. It combines a random Pikachu figure from the Dream Painting series with the matching holographic Pikachu card and a booster pack.

Fans of Eevee evolutions can also find the Pokémon 30th Celebration Gift Box Espeon ex & Umbreon ex in Chinese, which brings together Espeon-ex and Umbreon-ex in a larger Chinese anniversary box.

Pokémon 30th Celebration in Pokémon TCG Live

30th Celebration is now also available in Pokémon TCG Live. When the expansion launched, a Mew-ex deck and a Sylveon-ex deck were among the items added to the Battle Pass. There are also collection missions for all 30 Pikachu Rare cards and the complete Classic Collection.

While this isn’t decisive for physical collecting, it shows that the anniversary set is also more deeply integrated into gameplay than initially known.

Who should consider getting Pokémon 30th Anniversary?

For Collectors, 30th Celebration offers a particularly large number of clearly defined collecting goals: 30 Pikachu Rare, the Classic Collection, Illustration Rares, Special Product Illustration Rares, and the two Futuristic Rare cards.

For longtime Pokémon fans, the mix of old and new cards is especially exciting. The Classic Collection revisits iconic moments from three decades, while modern artwork and new rarities represent the current generation of the TCG.

The expansion is also interesting for international Collectors, as German, Japanese, and Chinese anniversary products offer different packaging and product concepts.

For Players, the new Pokémon-ex and the two Battle decks are especially relevant. Important: The regular main set becomes tournament-legal starting September 25, 2026, while the Classic Collection does not.

Pokémon 30th Celebration at cardcosmos

The Pokémon 30th Celebration Collection at cardcosmos currently includes German, Japanese, and Chinese anniversary products. This lets you compare different language versions and product types directly.

Since several products will not be released until October or November and the Japanese and Chinese releases have their own dates, it is worth paying close attention to the Language and product version when choosing.

Pokémon 30 Years Is Now More Than Just an Anniversary Announcement

Pokémon Trading Card Game: 30 Years or Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration officially launched on September 16, 2026. With over 150 cards, 30 Pikachu Rare, 30 Classic Collection cards, more than 20 Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare cards, plus the two Futuristic Rare cards Mew ex and Mewtwo ex, the set now has a much clearer identity.

At the same time, the product line continues to grow. Following the first September products, October brings, among other things, Booster Bundles, Mini Tins, and Battle Decks, before premium collections, figures, and Ultra-Premium products arrive in November.

For Collectors, the combination of nostalgia, a Pikachu focus, modern artwork, and international product variants is particularly exciting. Those who collect Pokémon cards from Germany, Japan, or China will find many different ways to build their Collection around the 30th anniversary.