Pokémon TCG Pocket Paradox Drive details

The Pokémon Company said on May 21 that Pokémon TCG Pocket’s next expansion, Paradox Drive, will launch on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. PDT. The set, labeled B3a, was first circulated in social posts and has now been detailed on Pokemon.com with named cards, a launch time and a slate of follow-on in-game events. Pokemon.com said Paradox Drive introduces Koraidon ex, Miraidon ex and other Paradox Pokémon drawn from Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. The company also said the expansion adds Ancient and Future categories, which it described as category-based synergies for deckbuilding. ### When does Paradox Drive actually go live? (pokemon.com) Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00 p.m. PDT is the official release time listed by The Pokémon Company. Insider Gaming, which published a guide after the social-media disclosure, reported the same launch date and said that 6 p.m. Pacific has been the standard release time for Pokémon TCG Pocket sets. (pokemon.com) Insider Gaming also listed regional equivalents for that launch, including 9:00 p.m. EDT on May 27, 2:00 a.m. BST on May 28 and 10:00 a.m. JST on May 28. The official Pokemon.com post did not publish a full international table, but it did give the Pacific launch time. ### Which cards and mechanics were named in the reveal? (pokemon.com) Koraidon ex and Miraidon ex are the two headline cards named by The Pokémon Company in its official announcement. The company said other Paradox Pokémon from Area Zero will also appear, though the short post did not publish a complete card list. (insider-gaming.com) Insider Gaming said the set includes Paradox Pokémon such as Raging Bolt, Iron Boulder, Flutter Mane and Scream Tail, and said Professor Turo and Professor Sada are part of the release. That report also named Scarlet and Violet-era Pokémon including Farigiraf, Kingambit and Garganacl. ### What are Ancient and Future categories in Pocket? (pokemon.com) Pokemon.com said Ancient and Future categories are being added to Pokémon TCG Pocket with Paradox Drive. The company said those categories create deckbuilding synergies and noted that players familiar with the physical Pokémon Trading Card Game will recognize the same subcategories there. (insider-gaming.com) The official post tied those categories directly to Paradox Pokémon from Scarlet and Violet. That means the set is structured around the split between past-themed Ancient Pokémon and tech-themed Future Pokémon rather than around a single mascot line or region-only mechanic. That connection is stated in the game’s official description of the expansion. (pokemon.com) ### What else arrives after the card set? Sunday, May 31 is the date Pokemon.com gave for Miraidon-themed covers and backdrops that players can use after the expansion arrives. The company said those accessories will be available separately from the initial May 27 card launch. Late May to early June will bring a Paradox Drive Emblem Event, according to Pokemon.com, while early June will include a Community Week event with missions tied to trading and sharing cards. (pokemon.com) Mid- to late June will add a Ceruledge ex Drop Event with B series vol. 9 promo packs, plus a wonder pick event featuring Sableye and Floragato cards, the company said. ### What was missing from the first social-media details? The May 23 social-media circulation pointed to the set name, timing and content theme, but the official materials now in public view still do not list regional pricing for packs or any separate paid bundle schedule. Pokemon.com’s announcement focuses on the launch timestamp, named cards, categories and event calendar. (pokemon.com) May 27 at 6:00 p.m. PDT is the next concrete milestone, followed by the May 31 Miraidon accessory release and the May-June event sequence listed on Pokemon.com. Insider Gaming said its coverage was based on the B3a reveal and published the same release window after the social post began circulating. (pokemon.com)