In late September 2025, Pokemon TCG Pocket introduced Deluxe Pack: ex, a limited-time booster designed to bridge the gap between the game's first year and the arrival of the first B expansion. Although 2026 has since brought new sets and meta shifts, the Deluxe Pack: ex remains a notable example of how the digital card game uses high-value, short-window boosters to energize collectors. The pack arrived on September 30, 2025, and offered a dramatically higher pull rate than previous themed boosters or expansions. For players who were still chasing elusive ex cards before the B1 expansion, it was a final chance to fill collection gaps.
A Limited-Time Celebration Before the B1 Expansion
With the game's one-year anniversary looming large on the horizon, Pokemon TCG Pocket prepared to usher in a new era of cards and packs. The first B expansion was scheduled to drop at the end of October 2025, but before it arrived, fans could look forward to a special deluxe booster pack. The Deluxe Pack: ex was not a standard themed booster; it was a concentrated collection event with a much higher pull rate than anything that came before it.
The official press release from The Pokemon Company placed the launch at 11 p.m. EDT on September 29, 2025, with the rollout reaching many players in the early hours of September 30. Regional conversions listed the release around 2 a.m. EDT and 7 a.m. BST on September 30. For UK and European players, the comparable early-morning window was 07:00 a.m. BST and 08:00 a.m. CEST. This timing made the launch a late-night event for North America and a breakfast-time debut for much of Europe.
| Region | Local Release Window | Date |
|---|---|---|
| North America (EDT) | Late evening September 29 / early September 30 | Sept 29-30, 2025 |
| United Kingdom (BST) | 07:00 a.m. | Sept 30, 2025 |
| Europe (CEST) | 08:00 a.m. | Sept 30, 2025 |
Only 30 Days on Shelves
Unlike previous packs and expansions, Deluxe Pack: ex packs were only available for 30 days. The official press release mentioned that they would no longer be available in the app after 11 p.m. PDT on October 29, 2025. This short window created urgency. Players had to decide quickly whether to spend resources on the deluxe packs or save for the incoming B1 expansion. Because there was no telling when exactly the Deluxe Pack: ex would return, collectors were encouraged to pull everything they wanted before the deadline.
What Each Deluxe Pack: ex Contained
The Deluxe Pack: ex broke from convention in several important ways. Instead of the usual five or six cards, each pack contained only four cards. However, one of those four cards was guaranteed to be of ♦♦♦♦ rarity or higher. That guarantee gave players a real chance to add incredibly rare ex cards to their collections, even if the odds of a specific chase card remained uncertain.
Key contents included:
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🎴 Four cards per pack instead of five or six.
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✨ One guaranteed card of ♦♦♦♦ rarity or higher.
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🃏 All ♦♦♦♦ rarity ex cards were from previous packs.
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🎨 Certain non-ex cards received brand-new art rare variants.
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🌟 Certain ex cards, including Pikachu, Buzzwole, and Arceus, received Parallel Foil versions.
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📈 At least 14 new cards of ★ rarity or higher were added to the pool.
This structure made the Deluxe Pack: ex appealing to both new players and veterans. Newer collectors could patch holes in their ex collections, while veterans could hunt for the new art rares and Parallel Foil treatments. The pack was not a full expansion, but it functioned as a bridge between the old meta and the upcoming B1 era.
Why It Mattered
The Deluxe Pack: ex represented a different kind of Pokemon TCG Pocket event. It was limited, high-value, and intentionally short-lived. By guaranteeing a ♦♦♦♦ or higher card in every pack, it lowered the frustration of opening pack after pack without a major hit. At the same time, the 30-day availability forced players to engage with the game during a specific window, creating a shared moment of pack-opening excitement before the B1 expansion changed the landscape.
In 2026, the Deluxe Pack: ex is no longer available in the same form, but its influence can still be seen in how limited-time boosters are discussed. It showed that Pokemon TCG Pocket could use short release windows and improved pull rates to build anticipation without releasing a full set. For anyone who missed it, the cards remain part of the game's history, and future reruns or trade opportunities may be the only way to revisit the Deluxe Pack: ex era.
Ultimately, Deluxe Pack: ex was more than a simple booster. It was a celebration of the game's first year, a collection safety net before B1, and a reminder that in Pokemon TCG Pocket, timing can be just as important as luck.