Prediction: The Pokemon boom will continue throughout 2025-2026 and Pokemon Pocket cards will be released in the TCG and possibly break the market

A word of caution: Be prepared for the Pokemon boom to continue throughout 2025, into early 2026. And for the possible release of even better sets than Battle Partners/Journey Together, the Rocket Set, and the 30th Anniversary sets...with the eventual (and likely) release of Pokemon Pocket cards.

Background: I’ve been a sealed collector since 2014, starting around the release of XY Flashfire, back when Pokémon’s popularity was relatively low but steadily growing. At that time, there was modest interest in the hobby—YouTube pack opening videos might pull in tens of thousands or a few hundred thousand views (think Primetime Pokemon)—and while people were collecting, most cards were only worth a few dollars. Even the Scream Promos were around $25, with Scream Mimikyu hitting about $70 on eBay. Mario/Luigi Poncho Boxes were $25 shipped straight from Japan. Everything was cheap, and “investing” in the hobby felt risky (as r/PokeInvesting discussions often suggested).

Over the years, I’ve noticed one constant: Pokémon, as a business, will take profits wherever possible. When Shaymin EX from Roaring Skies was short-printed and needed for competitive play, The Pokémon Company reprinted Roaring Skies booster boxes, flooding the market. When Evolutions launched in 2016, it was printed to meet (and exceed) demand. Sets like Ancient Origins sat well below MSRP (often under $90 a booster box) for years until the pandemic-driven boom.

Fast forward to late 2024 and early 2025: the demand for Pokémon products remains high, and The Pokémon Company is introducing new sets, reprinting existing sets to meet demand, and carefully controlling supply to avoid tanking the market. The number of collectors and players keeps growing, giving the company opportunity to essentially “print money.”

Now we have Pokémon Pocket, which is reportedly making millions of dollars each day (according to various sources). The addition of alternate arts, special illustration rares/art rares, and illustration rares/art rares has only fueled interest and bolstered price trends. With new releases like Rocket, Battle Partners/Journey Together, and the upcoming 30th Anniversary, I strongly believe we’ll see a Pokémon Pocket Special Set, or at least see these IR/SIR cards included in multiple sets over time.

History often repeats itself. Remember when Pokemon GO was released? What came afterwards was a special "Pokemon GO" set, which was hyped at the time (although as we know, it declined quickly due to the lack of interesting artworks and overprinting of the set). And I don't think Pokemon will make the same mistake they did with the Pokemon GO set (mainly avoiding over-production and also making sure to include fantastic and unique artworks that we already know exist in the Pokemon Pocket game).

Remember, Pokémon plans its products and releases at least a year or two ahead. So the cards slated for 2026 are already being designed and produced right now. Not releasing the Pokémon Pocket art would be counterproductive to The Pokémon Company’s bottom line, especially since they know how popular these cards (and the game) are, and how quickly they would sell out.