On August 20 The Pokemon Company officially revealed Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution - Delta Reign, releasing November 6, 2026. It is the expansion that closes the Mega Evolution series, and it is built around Mega Rayquaza ex, described in the announcement as "a renowned ruler of the sky."

What was announced

  • Over 135 cards, with more than 20 Trainer cards
  • Over 35 cards with special illustrations
  • Headline Mega Pokemon ex: Mega Rayquaza ex, Mega Golurk ex, Mega Malamar ex, Mega Golisopod ex
  • Prerelease events ahead of launch; full product lineup "coming soon"

Why Rayquaza matters more than the usual headliner

Rayquaza has a track record no other non-Charizard Pokemon can match at the top of the market. In the past three weeks alone: two Call of Legends shiny Rayquazas in PSA 10 sold for $180,200 and $105,000 in the same week, and the EX Deoxys Rayquaza Gold Star has been the most expensive Gold Star in the hobby all year. That demand transfers to modern printings in a way it does not for most mascots: the 2021 Evolving Skies Rayquaza VMAX alt art is still the single most valuable English card of the Sword & Shield era. A Mega Rayquaza ex special illustration rare will be pre-sold heavily before a single pack is opened.

What it does to the sets already out

Delta Reign is the third Mega Evolution expansion in print. Ascended Heroes (January) has been drifting lower in our modern index for a month, Pitch Black (July) is still in its launch-supply phase, and the Mega Forces tins due August 28 add another wave of packs. A new chase set tends to pull both attention and dollars from the previous one, which is why modern chase prices stay soft while a series is still being printed. If you are holding Ascended Heroes special illustrations, the next ten weeks are the window where the set is least loved; that reverses once Delta Reign supply starts to clear in the new year.

What to watch for

The product lineup and the prerelease schedule, which The Pokemon Company says is coming soon. The number that will matter for prices is the pull rate on the special illustration rares; Mega Evolution sets have run slightly tighter than the late Scarlet & Violet sets, and a 35-plus card special illustration slate across a 135-card set means the chase is spread thin.

Source: Pokemon.com announcement, August 20, 2026.

The Lead ran in The Pack Report, August 20, 2026: Rayquaza Gets a Set: Delta Reign Lands November 6. Published by Rip Station.