Rotation (TCG)
regulation mark from the 2026-27 Standard formatA rotation in the Pokémon Trading Card Game occurs when several expansions and promotional cards are removed from play in Play! Pokémon sanctioned events, making way for newer sets. If a set is rotated, a player may no longer use any card from that set in their deck, with certain exceptions. This practice keeps the game fresh by curating the card pool, and it allows the card designers to ensure cards are compatible with potential rule changes. Rotations generally remove roughly one year's worth of releases, though there have been exceptions that have removed more. Since the introduction of the regulation mark system, rotation has always only affected the oldest legal regulation mark.
Rotated cards are distinct from banned cards. While rotation is a regular and predictable process that affects large amounts of cards, banned cards are specific instances of individual problematic cards being removed from play as needed. Cards that have not rotated and are not banned are considered legal cards. Certain legal cards may become unplayable due to rotation if cards they are required to be played with leave the format early. Cards affected by this phenomenon are known as orphaned cards.
Currently, rotation typically occurs near the beginning of each year, alongside the release of the first expansion to focus entirely on a new regulation mark. This is roughly two-thirds through a typical Play! Pokémon competitive season. Historically, rotations often occurred directly following the World Championships, beginning the next competitive season. Rotations go into effect in Pokémon Trading Card Game Live about two weeks before physical play, and the game provides players eight new starter decks with each rotation.
Rotation only applies to the Standard format; the current Standard format is sometimes referred to as "the current rotation". The Expanded format's rules allow for rotation, but none have occurred since the format's inception. By definition, the Unlimited format does not have a rotation, and players of that format may use any card from any set in their decks.
Legal cards from rotated sets
Some cards in sets that are part of the current rotation are reprints of cards that appeared in older rotations. If a card is included as part of any set in the current rotation, any version of that card is legal for tournament play. For example, at least one version of Rare Candy has been legal in every modified format since it was printed. Thus, older versions of Rare Candy, even those from rotated sets like EX Sandstorm and Great Encounters, are still legal cards. Similarly, basic Energy cards from all sets except Fairy Energy are still allowed in tournament play.
In cases where a card has been reprinted with a different effect, the older card must have received official errata from The Pokémon Company to be played. Prior to the Sun & Moon Series, in cases where a card is reprinted with significant text changes but no errata, the player playing the card must have had a new copy of the card on hand, separate from their deck to serve as reference. For example, the effect of Energy Retrieval printed in Black & White is different from the original print in Base Set. A player would be permitted to include the Base Set print of Energy Retrieval in their deck for tournament play, but would be required to provide a copy of the Black & White print as reference. As errata are understood implicitly as public information, a reference is no longer required, and references are no longer allowed for cards that have not received errata.
Since the introduction of regulation marks in the Japanese Sun & Moon Series and international Sword & Shield Series, the above only applies for Trainer and Energy cards, not Pokémon cards. For example, regulation SVP Promo 101 Pikachu is not legal for play in the 2026-27 Standard format, despite being textually identical to regulation 
SVP Promo 190 Pikachu and regulation 
SVP Promo 225 Pikachu. Regulation Ultra Ball may be played, however, as it is a Trainer card with the same name as the regulation Ultra Ball.
Current rotation
Expansions that are part of the current rotation
Expansions that have been rotated out or were never legal
References
External links
See also
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This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. |