The Pokémon franchise, including the video games and Trading Card Game, has a lot in store for 2022. From Pokémon Legends: Arceus to Sword & Shield - Brilliant Stars, the series is primed to keep up the momentum from 2021’s 25th anniversary celebrations. 2021 saw the release of New Pokémon Snap, the highly anticipated sequel to the 1999 classic Pokémon Snap, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, remakes of the Nintendo DS Diamond and Pearl games. The TCG joined in with sets like Fusion Strike and Celebrations to coincide with the milestone 25th anniversary, which also saw the release of special Pokémon Center merchandise and even music collaborations with artists such as Katy Perry and Post Malone.

2022 promises to be another great year for the series, starting with January’s release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, following up on Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl by taking place in the Sinnoh of the past, the Hisui region. While Legends: Arceus introduces new Hisuian forms of older Pokémon, Brilliant Stars will introduce the VSTAR mechanic into the TCG to align with Sinnoh’s celestial themes. Pokémon’s mobile titles, including Pokémon GO, also have plans for 2022.

Related: Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Content Was Originally Meant For Gen 2

While games like Pokémon GO always have events planned due to their constantly updating nature, the other games of the franchise usually approach matters one at a time. Legends: Arceus is currently the only upcoming Pokémon video game fans are aware of, although it’s still possible to predict what 2022 may hold after it releases. The Pokémon TCG, on the other hand, announces plenty of products ahead of time, although specific details aren’t given until their release draws closer. Although the rest of 2022 is ahead of them, fans already have plenty to look forward to in the new year when it comes to Pokémon. There may not be as much of a specific reason to celebrate like during 2021, but Pokémon still won’t be slowing down in 2022.

Starting Off 2022 With Pokémon Legends: Arceus

How Legends Arceus New Pokémon Could Appear In Future Games

The next mainline Pokémon game, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, will release on Nintendo Switch on January 28. The game will focus on exploration and capturing Pokémon and feature a new way of battling compared to previous Pokémon games. Because it is set in the past, Pokémon Legends: Arceus characters are ancestors of well-known existing NPCs, such as Commander Kamado being the ancestor of Professor Rowan. In addition to discovering the new Hisuian regional variants of classic Pokémon, such as the new Normal- and Ghost-type Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark, fans will get the opportunity to meet the ancestors of some of their favorite Trainers, too.

Fans are also looking forward to the new style of gameplay that Legends: Arceus has to offer. While the series’ classic formula has lasted on an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” principle, fans are still excited to see what Pokémon can achieve when deviating from the norm. The gameplay and even visuals of Legends: Arceus have been compared to BotW, further adding to players’ excitement. With its January launch, Legends: Arceus will start the year off right for Pokémon fans.

2022 May (Or May Not) Have A New Mainline Pokémon Game

Pokemon GO gen 5 starters black and white

With the exciting new possibilities opened up by Legends: Arceus, fans naturally can’t wait to see what the mainline Pokémon series has in store next. 2022 may see a reveal of the next mainline game, although such information may not see the light of day until much later in the year. Because of the unprecedented nature of Legends: Arceus, it isn’t clear what direction the series will move in next, although fans have certainly come up with plenty of ideas.

Related: Pokémon Legends: Arceus Can Have Its Own BDSP-Style Grand Underground

Although there’s usually a long gap between remakes, such as the seven-year wait between Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the gaps could be attributed to the games initially releasing on different consoles. But because Black and White, the fifth generation Pokémon games, released on the Nintendo DS just like Diamond and Pearl, fans can’t be sure if these titles will receive remakes sooner rather than much later. Generation 5 is also known for having direct sequels in the same generation, which adds further complexity to remaking them compared to past Pokémon titles.

It’s just as likely that the Let’s Go series may continue after Legends: Arceus with a foray into the Johto region. Another option could be the release of the next new Pokémon generation, which would benefit greatly from the Nintendo Switch’s success. If the mainline front stays quiet, though, the series may come out with some spin-off games to fill the gap between main releases.

Pokémon TCG Live Will Release In 2022 (If It Isn't Delayed Again)

Pokemon Trading Card Game Live Reveal Trailer

Pokémon Trading Card Game Live was meant to release in 2021 as an updated way to collect and play the TCG online. Because it was delayed, players have continued to play using the aptly named Pokémon Trading Card Game Online application. PTCG Live’s delay announcement mentioned plans to release in 2022. Although there’s no reason to suspect it will get delayed again, anything is possible due to current global pandemic conditions. If it does get delayed once more, players still have PTCGO to fall back on without worry.

Pokémon TCG Products Releasing Early In 2022

Pokemon Trading Card Game VSTAR Starter Sets

The first big Pokémon TCG product of 2022 is the Leafeon VSTAR and Glaceon VSTAR Special Collection. On January 28, these boxes will launch to give players an early look at the new Pokémon card VSTAR mechanic that will be fully implemented in the upcoming Brilliant Stars set. Each box will be $29.99 and come with one promo card of the respective Eevee evolution, a jumbo version of the same card, one VSTAR marker, and five booster packs.

Related: What Pokémon Black Star Promo Cards Are Worth The Most (& Why)

Fans can look forward to a “Pikachu V Box” on February 11, just before the release of Brilliant Stars. The $19.99 box will feature a Pikachu V promo card and jumbo card, as well as four booster packs. Other confirmed products have their release aligned with the launch of Brilliant Stars on February 25. A new “Stacking Tins” product will launch that same day. These tins are nearly cube-shaped, and they can be stacked on top of each other. Each tin will be $12.99 and come with three booster packs and one coin. The first three tins will be themed around different Pokémon types: Grass-type, Water-type, and Lightning-type.

Ultra PRO will be releasing card portfolios themed after Brilliant Stars as well. The first is a portfolio with 10 four-pocket pages and two pages with pockets that fit jumbo-sized cards. This $7.99 product features Arceus on the front and Shaymin on the back. Ultra PRO’s second card portfolio, with Charizard on the front and Whimsicott on the back, has 14 nine-pocket pages and will retail for $11.99.

Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield - Brilliant Stars Set In 2022

The Pokemon TCG's Brilliant Stars expansion features Arceus VSTAR and Charizard VSTAR.

Sword & Shield - Brilliant Stars will be the Pokémon TCG’s first main set in 2022. It is slated to release on February 25, a little less than a month after Legends: Arceus. The set will have VSTAR Pokémon, including Arceus, Shaymin, Whimsicott, and Charizard. Brilliant Stars is also confirmed to have a “Trainer Gallery” subset of 30 cards. These cards will come from the Japanese VMAX Climax set’s “Character Rare” and “Character Super Rare” cards, which are full art cards featuring the card’s Pokémon and their Trainer. However, VMAX Climax includes nearly 70 Character Rare and Character Super Rare cards. It’s currently unclear exactly which of these cards will be included in Brilliant Stars’ Trainer Gallery subset, but fans are predicting the missing character cards will make their appearance in June’s special set.

Pokémon TCG Special Set In June 2022

Pokemon TCG Character Super Rares Featuring Pikachu V Red Calyrex V Peony Orbeetle VMAX Bugsy Zekrom And N

Special Pokémon TCG sets, like 2021’s Pokémon Celebrations set, are usually released in February. There isn’t much information about the special set that is currently slated to release on June 17, except that it will feature a new type of product named “Team-Up Collections.” Based on the number of Character Rare cards that will be missing from Brilliant Stars, combined with the product name implying the Pokémon featured may be teaming up with their Trainer, it’s possible that the Team-Up Collections - and the rest of this special set - may include the Character Rare cards that Brilliant Stars won’t be able to include.

Pokémon TCG 2022 Products Without A Confirmed Release Date

Pokemon TCG Ultra PRO Design Featuring Swirlix Clefairy Galarian Rapidash Jigglypuff And Togepi

A set of League Battle Decks featuring Corviknight V and Lycanroc V are confirmed to be releasing sometime in 2022. These decks will be $14.99 each or bundled together with eight extra Trainer cards for $29.99. A second Pokémon Battle Academy box is also expected to release in 2022. The three 60-card decks that Battle Academy 2 will include feature Pikachu V, Eevee V, and Cinderace V. This box set designed to teach newcomers how to play Pokémon TCG will likely retail for $19.99 like its 2020 counterpart.

Related: Pokémon TCG Fusion Strike Cards Best For Competitive Play

Ultra PRO will also be releasing Pokémon TCG accessories featuring the Fairy-type Pokémon Swirlix, Clefairy, Galarian Rapidash, Jigglypuff, and Togepi in a forest setting. The collection includes a four-pocket album, nine-pocket album, nine-pocket PRO binder, a two-inch binder, card sleeves, a deck box, and a playmat. The card sleeves will likely come in a set of 65 like other Ultra PRO products.

It’s Uncertain If There Will Be A New Pokémon Movie In 2022

Pokemon-Secrets-Of-The-Jungle-Dada-Zarude

Since 1998, one Pokémon movie has been released in Japan every year, with a single exception. The latest Pokémon movie, Secrets of the Jungle, was originally going to release on July 10, 2020, but was delayed due to the global pandemic. Instead, it was released in Japan on December 25, 2020, with an English Netflix release on October 8, 2021. Since then, there have been no hints as to the next feature-length Pokémon movie.

As with Secrets of the Jungle, it’s not unprecedented for a Pokémon movie to be announced and released in the same year. It’s possible that 2022 will see a new Pokémon movie if initial reveals are made early on. If trailers are released later in the year, it’s more likely that the next Pokémon movie will release in 2023 instead. Although both scenarios are possible at this point, it’s still likely that the next movie will be hinted at in some fashion, if not outright revealed, in 2022.

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