The release date for the Lost Origin Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion has been unveiled after various product listings began to pop up at retailers. Following the release of Astral Radiance in May, the Lost Origin Pokémon TCG expansion was revealed a month early after accidentally being leaked through the official Pokémon Center store. Additional new information about the upcoming Pokémon card release was uncovered by retailers, such as the sets release date and setlist details.
Lost Origin is the eleventh main expansion of the Pokémon Sword and Shield series, and the TCG’s fourth release of 2022. Although there was little information known about the new expansion when it was originally leaked, its artwork hinted at the Pokémon card release being heavily themed around Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Legendary Giratina. New details on June 22 not only confirmed that the Sinnoh Legendary will make its debut as a VSTAR card in the Pokémon Sword and Shield TCG set, but the leak also revealed that the expansion will release this Autumn.
The popular Pokémon card website PokéBeach was the first to break the new information about the upcoming set and announced that the Lost Origin TCG expansion’s release date is Friday, September 9th. While many had expected the expansion to release in August, the Pokémon card set’s September release could be a result of the Pokémon World Championships being held in London, England from August 18 to the August 21. The retail listing for Lost Origin revealed more than its release date and also gave players new details for what they can expect when the expansion hits stores in September.
Pokémon TCG Lost Origins Release Date & Setlist Details
Just like the Pokémon Brilliant Stars TCG expansion from February, Lost Origin will bring back the wildly popular Trainer Gallery card subset. The card variant, which first made its debut in the 2017 Sun and Moon TCG series, features unique artwork depicting Pokémon with their trainers. The September expansion will also include a handful of rare VSTAR cards for Pokémon such as Kyurem, Giratina, and Aerodactyl. Below is a breakdown of Lost Origin’s setlist description.
- Over 190 cards
- Three brand-new Radiant Pokémon, including Radiant Gardevoir
- Seven Pokémon VSTAR: Giratina VSTAR, Aerodactyl VSTAR, Magnezone VSTAR, Drapion VSTAR, Hisuian Goodra VSTAR, Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR, and Kyurem VSTAR
- 14 powerful Pokémon V and one enormous Pokémon VMAX
- 30 cards with special art in the Trainer Gallery subset
- More than 15 Trainer cards
However, the most interesting reveal is that the Lost Origin TCG expansion will bring back the “Lost Zone” mechanic, a change made in the Pokémon Platinum expansion during Gen 4 in 2009. The mechanic acts as a second discard pile where specially marked Pokémon cards are sent when knocked out. Because the “Lost Zone” is considered out of play, trainers who have their cards sent there can not get them back again during the match. The Gen 4 Pokémon card mechanic hasn’t been used since the release of the Pokémon Sun and Moon Lost Thunder TCG set, which was released in 2018.
With the Lost Origin TCG expansion featuring over 190 cards and reviving a classic Pokémon Platinum mechanic, the upcoming set could really shake up the meta when it releases this September. Since Gen 9 Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is releasing just a few months later in November, Lost Origin could end up being the last Gen 8 Sword & Shield TCG set that is ever released. Based on the information revealed so far, the new Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion is shaping up to be an epic release that players and collectors won’t want to miss out on.
