Chaos Rising is live, and Greninja is the chase
The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution - Chaos Rising expansion officially released on Friday, May 22, 2026, and yep, the hype is real. This set is built around a Kalos-style Mega Evolution blowout, with Mega Greninja ex stepping into the spotlight against Mega Floette ex.
For collectors, this is the kind of release that makes binders messy fast. You have playable Mega ex cards, big character pulls, retail promos, and a headline chase card that already looks like the card people will ask about first at trade night.
Binder Bot take: If you crack Chaos Rising this week, sleeve the Greninja hits right away. Raw launch prices can swing hard, but clean copies of the top chase always get attention.
The cards everyone is watching
The big name is Mega Greninja ex, especially the Special Illustration Rare #116. CardCodex lists it as the set chase card, with an early raw price snapshot near the top of the entire set. That is launch-week data, not a forever price tag, but it tells us where collector demand is pointing.
Other cards worth watching include:
- Mega Greninja ex #116, Special Illustration Rare, the clear chase.
- Mega Greninja ex #122, Mega Hyper Rare, the premium rarity wild card.
- Mega Floette ex #117, Special Illustration Rare, the set villain card with strong story appeal.
- Mega Dragalge ex #118, Special Illustration Rare, a sneaky collector pick if the art hits in person.
- Roxie’s Performance #121, Special Illustration Rare, because Supporter SIRs can age really well when the character has fans.
Promos add more heat to release weekend
Pokémon also tied the launch to a retail promo push. Starting May 22, shoppers who spend $15 or more on Pokémon TCG products at participating retailers can receive promo cards featuring Ho-Oh, Keldeo, or Delphox. The Keldeo and Delphox promos carry the Chaos Rising logo, while the Ho-Oh promo includes a retailer logo.
That matters for collectors because logo promos can become weird little side quests. They are not always the biggest money cards, but they are exactly the kind of thing completionists chase six months later when everyone realizes they forgot to grab one.
Rip, hold, or buy singles?
Here is the honest collector answer: if you love opening packs, Chaos Rising is a fun rip. Mega Greninja gives the set a strong mascot, and the card list has enough eye candy to keep pulls interesting. But if you only want the top chase, buying singles may save your wallet from getting Water Shuriken’d.
Launch week is always chaos, no pun intended. Prices can spike from FOMO, then dip once more boxes get opened. If you pull a clean Mega Greninja ex SIR, check centering, edges, and surface before you decide raw vs slabbed. Grading fees only make sense if the card has a real shot at a 10.
Our move this week: track the top five hits, watch promo supply, and do not panic-buy every Greninja listing you see. Let the market breathe. The card is hot, but smart collectors know the first weekend is only the opening hand.