A Flareon card is surrounded by flames. Dark Espeon is graced with clouds in pink and blue. Rocket’s Mewtwo ex rests in front of a dark, shimmering pattern. In Santa Cruz’s new Pokémon collaboration, the cards have moved from the pockets of a binder to the underside of skateboard decks.
According to Santa Cruz, the collection will be released on October 17, 2026. There are 30 designs based on Pokémon TCG cards and three additional gold-colored collage variants. However, collectors cannot choose the design on the sealed packaging: the decks are sold in so-called blind bags.
The novelty is the cards – not just the Pokémon characters
PokéBeach reported on the collaboration back in February and published the new designs on October 6. Pokémon and Santa Cruz have collaborated before, but this year's collection highlights the card art itself.
This is clearly visible on the English designs in the cover image. The card’s frame and game text remain as part of the print, while the rest of the deck reinforces the character's colors and theme. Flareon’s card art, for example, becomes the starting point for a larger flame pattern.
VGC’s review on October 8 also highlights the variety: original cards featuring Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur are available alongside later designs, including the Umbreon from Evolving Skies, often called "Moonbreon" by collectors.
Our interpretation is that the mix makes the collection more than just a gathering of Pokémon logos. An observer can recognize both the character and a specific period in the history of the card game. Here, it is the appearance of the card that carries the story, rather than which attack works best in a deck.
A blind bag borrows the excitement from a booster
A blind bag is an opaque, sealed package where the variant inside is unknown before opening. Santa Cruz states that each bag contains a random 8 × 31.6-inch (approximately 20 × 80 centimeter) skateboard deck. A Pokémon Player’s Guide booklet displays the 30 designs and the three special variants.
The similarity to opening booster packs is easy to understand: you know which collection you are buying, but not which design you will get. The difference is the size and the use. The card images are printed on a skateboard deck; it is not a playing card that can be put into a Pokémon deck.
For someone who loves a particular design, this also becomes a different kind of choice. Appreciating the entire collection and wanting one specific deck are two different collecting goals. The element of chance does not automatically suit both.
The gold collages mix cards from several languages
The three extra variants feature sparkling gold foil and collages of card images from different language versions. Santa Cruz specifies 500 copies of each variant worldwide.
On these decks, the mix of languages is part of the design. It shows the same world of cards through different names, frames, and texts, rather than reproducing a single English card.
The number 500 tells us how many of each gold design there are. However, it does not say what the chances are of pulling one. Without the total print run and distribution, it is impossible to calculate reliable odds for opening one, and the number says nothing about future resale prices.
What applies to Swedish collectors?
Santa Cruz describes October 17 as a worldwide launch and directs Swedish visitors to their European store. This does not set the price or availability at every individual Swedish retailer. Therefore, check regional product information; a US price is not a Swedish price.
The collaboration is part of the celebration of Pokémon's 30th anniversary. If you want to distinguish this design collection from the anniversary’s trading card products, see our guide to the Pokémon anniversary.
The most interesting thing about the collection is perhaps that the game text is given a new role. On a card, it needs to be read in order to play. On a skateboard deck, it becomes part of a familiar visual language – something a collector can recognize from a distance.
Sources and image credits
- Santa Cruz: official collection page – dates, packaging, designs, and editions.
- PokéBeach, Jon / Water Pokémon Master, October 6, 2026 – the new designs and background of the collaboration.
- VGC, Jordan Middler, October 8, 2026 – examples of cards from different periods.
Cover image: Santa Cruz, from the official collection page above. The card designs on the cover are English. Pokémon images © Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK. Information verified on October 9, 2026.