For months now, fans of the Pokemon Trading Card Game have been waiting to find out when the next McDonald’s Happy Meal promotion will arrive in U.S. locations. A Pokemon TCG promotion landed in France last year, with a theme centered around the Year of the Dragon. Now that it’s the Year of the Snake, the theme has changed just slightly, but the cards seem to be headed our way later this month. Each Happy Meal will be accompanied by a booster pack that includes four promo cards, one of which will be a holo. The cards will largely feature Dragon-types like Drampa and Dragonite, but will also include fan favorites like Pikachu and Charizard.
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According to reporting from Poke Beach, the Pokemon Dragon Discovery Happy Meal campaign will launch in the U.S. on January 21st, and will run through February 24th. That means we can expect it following the current promotion centered around Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Apparently, four Happy Meal boxes will be offered, highlighting different Pokemon: Charizard, Dragonite with Pikachu, Rayquaza, and Roaring Moon. In addition to the cards, the Happy Meals will also include stickers and a double-sided poster. Fans of the Pokemon TCG should be aware that the cards that are being offered have appeared in past sets, but offer some slight differences in the holos, and the card numbering.
At this time, McDonald’s and The Pokemon Company have not officially confirmed the starting date for the Happy Meal promotion. Some restaurant offerings can also vary, so Pokemon fans might want to check with their local McDonald’s before making a special trip. McDonald’s normally allows the purchase of a toy without a full Happy Meal, but the company has avoided doing that for past Pokemon promotions. The reason of course being that some resellers made it hard for fans and kids to actually get their hands on the cards. At this time, we don’t know if the same can be said for the Dragon Discovery promotion, but it’s probably a safe bet!
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The Pokemon Dragon Discovery Happy Meal should be a nice way for fans to start off 2025. This year promises to be a good one for the Pokemon franchise. Pokemon Day is February 27th, just three days after the McDonald’s promotion will apparently come to an end. Pokemon Day is an annual event where The Pokemon Company reveals news about upcoming releases. This year’s show should be an exciting one, as Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be made available on Nintendo Switch sometime in 2025. The last time we heard about the game was last year on Pokemon Day, so we’re long overdue for an update. There have already been some leaks about TCG sets based on the game, so we might learn some details about those, as well!
Are you looking forward to this Pokemon Happy Meal promotion? Have you had trouble getting the cards during past McDonald’s promotions? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
