Everything We Know About Pokémon TCG Classic Right Now
There are well over 1000 Pokémon nowadays in 2023, with lots of different type combos, attack styles, and unique designs. It’s always exciting seeing creative Pokémon designs with each new generation- but sometimes, you just can’t beat a classic.
The Pokémon TCG Classic set is one of the most anxiously awaited releases for trading card game fans right now, but there’s a little confusion over when this set is coming out and what people can expect from it.
Here’s an update with everything we know about Pokémon TCG Classic right now, including potential release dates and which additional products to expect.
It Will Likely Come Out Later This Year
The first time we saw Pokémon TCG Classic was in an official announcement during the Pokémon World Championships earlier this year.
Currently, there isn’t a set release date for Pokémon TCG Classic. The official Pokémon Center site says to expect it in late 2023, and most prominent sites in the community seem to agree that we’re likely to see it in late fall or early winter.
It’s important to note that Paradox Rift is set to be the last Pokémon TCG set release this year and that comes out on the 3rd of November for most locations. The Classic set will probably come after this, so it is possible that we could end up seeing it during December this year or even in the early months of 2024.
While it’s hard to predict exactly when we’ll see pre-orders, it’s worth checking out
The Card List Has Already Been Released
In this release, there are 3 ready-made, curated decks to pick up. The card lists have been announced already – you can find a full list here – and the cards look exquisite so far. It’s the perfect set for fans of the first generation.
The 3 decks that you can expect to see in Pokémon TCG Classic feature a fully evolved starter and a companion legendary Pokémon. They are Venusaur and Luiga, Charizard and Ho-oh, and Blastoise and Suicune.
These cards are, of course, reprints of the original cards, but the artwork looks fantastic and the cards seem to have been made to an immensely high standard.
If you’re a competitive Pokémon TCG player, it’s vital to point out that the vast majority of cards in the Pokémon TCG Classic set are not legal for tournament play, according to the official Pokémon Center post linked earlier. The only cards in this set that can be used in a regulated tournament setting are the Basic Energy cards.
The Accessories Look Incredibly High Quality
It’s not just cards that you can expect to see in the Pokémon TCG Classic release. There are plenty of accessories and collectors items, including:
- A foldable, portable game carry case in a premium black theme
- 3 unique deck boxes featuring Energy symbols
- High-quality damage counters, Poison markers, and Burn markers
- Metal orbs in the place of regular coins
The carry case is absolutely the star of the show here.
It folds out into an almost board game-esque flat playing area, complete with designated areas for elements like the discard pile, and a built-in central piece to roll the metal orbs into to get either heads or tails.
While this isn’t the best item for competitive players to pick up, it’s absolutely one of the most important releases for collectors and investors to watch out for. This has been a great year for new releases and creative Pokémon, but it’s also been a great year for fans of older generations and even older card types.
