Nuit Noire ME05: revealed cards and release date (July 2026)

Nuit Noire (ME05) releases on July 17, 2026: Mega Darkrai ex mascot, Mega Zeraora ex, 117 cards including 11 Illustration Rares and 6 Special Art Rares. A full tour of the revealed cards.

The sixth set of the Mega Evolution era is here. Called Nuit Noire in France (its Japanese name is Abyss Eye), ME05 releases on July 17, 2026 and puts Mega Darkrai ex and Mega Zeraora ex in the spotlight in a set dominated by Darkness and Ghost.

Context: the 6th Mega Evolution set

Since the start of the Pokémon TCG's Mega Evolution era in 2025, each set has introduced new Mega forms drawn from the Mega Dimension DLC of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The sixth installment in the series, Nuit Noire focuses on Pokémon with a dark, mysterious mood: the Darkness, Ghost and Fighting types are the set's thematic pillars.

On the Japanese side, the set Abyss Eye was released on May 22, 2026 and counts 117 cards in total, 81 cards from the main list and 36 special cards above the set number. The first secret-card reveals followed right after, giving us a near-complete view of the contents.

Release timeline

Stage	Date
Japanese release (Abyss Eye)	May 22, 2026
Available on Pokémon TCG Live	July 16, 2026
In-store prereleases	July 4, 2026
Official France release	July 17, 2026

The July 4 prereleases let you open exclusive kits at participating stores before the general release, a great way to see the cards early and try for the first pulls.

The Mega Evolution ex cards: the stars of the set

The set contains 6 Mega Evolution ex Pokémon, four of which have been officially confirmed:

Mega Darkrai ex is the set's flagship. A Darkness-type Legendary Pokémon, it appears in a regular version (046/081), a Secret Rare (099/081), a Special Art Rare (114/081) and a Mega Ultra Rare (118/081), four variants for a single Pokémon.

Mega Zeraora ex joins Darkrai in the mascot duo. The Lightning Pokémon also gets a Special Art Rare (112/081).

Mega Chandelure ex leads the set's Ghost block, alongside Gastly, Gengar, Marshadow and the Sinistea line.

Mega Excadrill ex anchors the Fighting section, surrounded by Clefairy, Machop and Koraidon.

The card to watch: Mega Darkrai ex SAR

Mega Darkrai ex SAR 114/081 Nuit Noire, illus. Akira Egawa

Mega Darkrai ex, 114/081 SAR Illustrator: Akira Egawa, HP: 280

The Special Art Rare of Mega Darkrai ex is unanimously named the chase card of Nuit Noire. Its illustration plunges the Pokémon into a cosmos of shadow and light, a composition that stands in radical contrast with the classic cards and makes full use of the full-art treatment specific to SARs.

Mechanically, the card is fearsome. Its second attack, Abyss Eye, gives the set's name its full meaning: if the opponent's Active Pokémon is affected by a Special Condition (poisoned, burned, asleep, paralyzed, confused), Mega Darkrai eliminates it immediately, with no damage condition.

Its first attack, Nightwalker Raid, deals 110 base damage, plus 110 more if at least one Pokémon on the opponent's bench has damage counters, that's 220 damage for two Darkness energy.

Revealed Illustration Rares

The set counts 11 Illustration Rares (numbered from 082/081). Three of them were unveiled first:

Fomantis (082/081) is depicted in an enveloping plant-filled scene, typical of Illustration Rares that favor total immersion over a simple portrait of the Pokémon.

Armarouge (083/081) plays on steel-and-flame contrasts with a very graphic composition, clearly a cut above the classic cards visually.

Goldeen (084/081) breaks with the set's overall dark mood: a luminous, almost soothing aquatic scene. This kind of unexpected contrast is often what generates the strongest values on the secondary market.

The complete list of 11 IRs also includes: Tokotoro, Maganon, Slowbro, Dhelmise, Thievul, Zarude, Bastiodon, Toucannon and Silvally.

The Special Art Rares: the real chase cards

The 6 Special Art Rares are the cards most sought after by collectors:

Card	Number	Type
Mega Zeraora ex	112/081	Pokémon SAR
Mega Chandelure ex	113/081	Pokémon SAR
Mega Darkrai ex	114/081	Pokémon SAR
Morpeko ex	To be confirmed	Pokémon SAR
Gladion	To be confirmed	Supporter SAR
Gwynn	To be confirmed	Supporter SAR

Gwynn is a character from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, a Supporter SAR featuring a recent character from the game tends to perform well with both players and collectors.

Also worth noting: the Mega Ultra Rare of Mega Darkrai ex (#118/081), a rarity above the SARs, present in this set.

Full set composition

Rarity	Count
Mega Evolution ex Pokémon	6
Pokémon ex	4
Illustration Rare (AR)	11
Ultra Rare (UR), Pokémon and Trainer	18
Special Art Rare (SAR)	6
Total	117 cards

Available products

Elite Trainer Box (ETB)

9 Nuit Noire boosters
1 exclusive promo card: Zarude Full Art
65 card sleeves in Mega Darkrai colors
Dice, tokens, damage counters, rulebook
Rigid storage box

The ETB-exclusive Zarude promo adds real value to the box beyond the boosters. If it turns out to be well illustrated, it will become a collection target in its own right.

Nuit Noire booster

10 cards + 1 energy card + 1 TCG Live code. The Nuit Noire boosters feature Mega Darkrai on the cover, a dynamic illustration against an emerald-and-purple swirl backdrop that capitalizes on the set's dark identity.

Four different booster artworks are available across the set's product range.

Other products

Ogerpon Three-Booster Pack, 3 boosters + 1 Ogerpon promo card
6-booster bundle, flexible format, often the best-restocked
Battle & Strategy Box, ready-to-play 40-card deck + 6 boosters + promo
18- and 36-booster displays, for buying in volume

Should you pre-order?

The Mega Evolution sets have shown a consistent track record since ME01: ETBs systematically sell out fast. ME02 (Phantasmal Flames) and ME03 (Perfect Balance) both saw quick sell-outs, before restocks within 2 to 3 weeks.

Nuit Noire presents two additional elements that could heighten demand:

Mega Darkrai is one of the most popular Legendary Pokémon, its nostalgic appeal is real and its mascot status guarantees maximum attention at launch.
The Mega Darkrai ex SAR and the MUR (#118) are very clearly identified collection targets, which drives mass opening from day one.

Concretely: if you're aiming for the ETB's Zarude promo or you want to open at the lowest price, pre-ordering remains the safest strategy. The 6-booster bundle is more readily available in restock and less urgent.

Track the value from July 17

The first raw sales of the Nuit Noire SARs and IRs will settle within the first 72 hours after release, that's when prices are most volatile before the market stabilizes.

To track the value of Nuit Noire cards in real time on the French market, use PokéItem or download the app on iOS or Android.