Pokémon is marking its 30th anniversary with a slate of announcements unveiled at the inaugural PokémonXP event and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco. The Pokémon Company International confirmed a new animated film, the 2027 World Championships venue in Singapore, and major updates for Pokémon Champions, Pokémon GO, the Trading Card Game and Pokémon UNITE.
The two events ran side by side in San Francisco, where Trainers from around the world competed for world titles while fans at PokémonXP saw panels and reveals that set the roadmap into 2027. The closing ceremonies and weekend panels framed the anniversary as a bridge between competitive play and new entertainment.
2027 Pokémon World Championships will head to Singapore
The next World Championships will take place in Singapore, with Championship Sunday staged at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and the broader event at Singapore EXPO. The Pokémon Company said more details will be shared through the official Pokémon World Championships hub. The move follows the San Francisco finale and gives Trainers a year to prepare for the Southeast Asia debut. For fans who track the competitive calendar, the Singapore dates anchor the 2027 season around a single championship weekend.
Pokémon: Wild Card is the first new Pokémon movie in years
An all new feature length animated movie titled Pokémon: Wild Card was announced for release beginning in 2027. The story follows an aspiring Pokémon Trading Card Game player and Mimikyu, the Disguise Pokémon, and it is being produced with STORY inc. and CloverWorks, one of Japan's noted animation studios. The film marks the first theatrical Pokémon movie release in several years and connects the competitive card game to a character driven narrative. The production team has not yet shared a specific release date or regional rollout, but the announcement positions the TCG as the movie's central world.
Z Mega Evolution debuts in Pokémon Champions on September 9
Pokémon Champions will add Z Mega Evolution on September 9, 2026. According to the official Pokémon Champions press release, Mega Lucario Z, Mega Garchomp Z and Mega Absol Z will appear alongside Baxcalibur and Rillaboom at launch, with Heatran noted as joining battles in a future update. Z Mega Evolution introduces a new layer to team building, and Champions will be the first title to feature the mechanic in competitive play. Players who already follow Pokémon Pokopia coverage on GameHaunt will see a familiar push toward expanded meta options with each new system.
Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu heads to Disney+ in 2027
A stop motion series produced with Aardman is coming exclusively to Disney+ in 2027. The show is titled Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu and is set in the Galar region. Pokémon's director of original animation Phil Rynda appeared alongside Aardman creatives Tom Parkinson, Nat McKay and James Young to explain how the studio is blending character comedy, story and craft. The team showed the first official trailer during the weekend panel. Aardman is known for Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, and this project applies that handcrafted style to Pokémon for the first time.
Pokémon GO celebrates 10 years with new GO Battle League options
Pokémon GO reached its 10th anniversary in 2026, a decade after its 2016 launch. The update introduces a third Charged Attack for eligible Pokémon that have undergone Mega Evolution, the first time the game has offered that option, and it will allow Trainers to use Pokémon in that Mega Evolution state at all levels in GO Battle League starting next season. Armored Mewtwo is also set to return soon. More details are available on the official Pokémon GO site. The change gives battlers new strategic choices without altering the core catching loop.
Trading Card Game reveals Mega Z ex cards and a new ex Star series
The Pokémon Trading Card Game previewed Mega Lucario Z ex as the debut of Z Mega Evolution cards, with Mega Rayquaza ex, Mega Darkrai ex, Mega Greninja ex and Mega Zygarde ex listed as upcoming Mega attack rare cards. The TCG also introduced a new ex Star series that will feature Legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei and Suicune. The publisher said additional details on the ex Star lineup will be shared later, but the reveal keeps the TCG's chase card cycle focused on Mega forms through 2027.
Dual-type Pokémon are coming to TCG Pocket in October 2026
Beginning in October 2026, the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket app will introduce dual-type Pokémon in its next series, letting players expand collections in the popular mobile app. The team said full details will arrive closer to launch. The addition follows the app's rapid growth and reflects a broader effort to align physical and digital card releases around shared mechanics.
Four Pokémon join UNITE soon
Pokémon UNITE will add Morpeko, Toxtricity, Jolteon and Flareon as playable Pokémon in an upcoming update. The announcement did not detail moves or roles, but the official Pokémon UNITE site will carry breakdowns as the release approaches. UNITE continues to rotate its roster around fan favorites, and the four picks span Electric types and the often requested Eevee evolutions.
Champions crowned at the 2026 World Championships
The weekend closed with new world champions across video game, Trading Card Game, Pokémon GO and UNITE divisions. Competition ran throughout PokémonXP and the World Championships, and organizers congratulated all finalists. The published results listed Kazuki Kage and Kazutaka Hatahori in the Video Game Junior final, Vikram Thiagarajan and Carlos Verástegui in Senior, and Takuma Yamazaki and Hiroshi Onishi in Masters, with parallel finals across TCG divisions and Pokémon GO and UNITE team titles. Fans can revisit event archives at Pokemon.com/Worlds and PokemonXP.com. Readers who followed the Pokémon Game On initiative will recognize the same competitive structure now scaled to a global stage.
When and where will the 2027 Pokémon World Championships take place
The 2027 Pokémon World Championships will be held in Singapore, with events at Singapore EXPO and Championship Sunday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Organizers have not yet announced ticket sales or the exact August dates, with more information promised through the official Worlds site.
What is Pokémon: Wild Card and when does it release
Pokémon: Wild Card is an all new feature length animated movie that follows an aspiring Pokémon Trading Card Game player and Mimikyu. It is in production with STORY inc. and CloverWorks and is planned for release beginning in 2027.
What are Z Mega Evolutions and where will they appear first
Z Mega Evolution is a new form that debuts in Pokémon Champions on September 9, 2026. Mega Lucario Z, Mega Garchomp Z and Mega Absol Z are the first revealed, and the mechanic will also reach the physical Trading Card Game as Mega Z ex cards.
Where can I watch Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu
The stop motion series produced with Aardman will stream exclusively on Disney+ starting in 2027. It is set in the Galar region and stars Sirfetch'd and Pichu, with a trailer premiered at the PokémonXP weekend.
Please note that GameHaunt is an affiliate partner. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Visit https://amzn.to/3SlVfBF to support our work.
