Pokémon Reveals Team Rocket Hidden-Role Board Game for Japan

Pokémon is releasing a hidden-role board game in Japan called “Hey, Are You with Team Rocket?” (お前、もしかしてロケット団？). The story is that Team Rocket has slipped into a Pokémon Gym to take it over, and players have to work out who is secretly working for them while battling with a partner Pokémon. It releases November 12, 2026 for 2,200 yen including tax.

The game is part of the Pokémon Board Game Club (ポケモンボドゲくらぶ) line and was co-developed with YOKA Games. It plays 4 to 6 people, ages 10 and up, and a game runs about 30 minutes.

The four roles

Each player draws a secret role card: Gym Leader, Gym Trainer, Challenger, or Team Rocket Member. The Gym Leader reveals their card and takes the first turn. Everyone else plays with their role hidden.

The roles split into three sides. The Gym Leader and Gym Trainers win if every Challenger and Team Rocket Member is knocked out of the game. If the Gym Leader goes down instead, the result depends on who is still standing: Team Rocket wins if only Rocket members remain, and the Challengers win otherwise. Since only the Gym Leader is known, you have to read the other players’ attacks and table talk to decide who to trust. A player whose role gets exposed can still turn the game around through battles.

What comes in the box

The official contents list:

• 60 Pokémon cards
• 108 play cards
• 6 role cards
• 6 player reference guides, a rulebook and a quick-start guide
• 4 sheets of markers
• 30 special sleeves for the Pokémon cards

Every Pokémon card in the reveal photos has its own ability (特性) printed on it, along with an attack. The art uses a loose brush style that looks very different from TCG card art. Charizard, Venusaur and Blastoise are on the box art, and Pikachu, Chansey, Cubone, Koffing, Slowpoke and Snorlax are among the cards shown so far.

Basic rules and Expert rules

Under the basic rules, each player has one Pokémon that starts at level 3, and a player whose Pokémon faints is out of the game. The Expert rules (玄人ルール) add evolution and switching Pokémon.

The play deck also includes event cards. Mewtwo’s card makes every other player discard a dodge card or take 2 damage. Mew’s card lets each player heal 2 HP, or in the Expert rules level up their Pokémon instead.

Where to buy it

Limited quantities go on sale early at Game Market 2026 Autumn on October 17 and 18. The retail release on November 12 covers Pokémon Center stores, Pokémon Center Online, electronics stores and toy retailers in Japan. No release outside Japan has been announced, so collectors elsewhere will need to import it.

It is a standalone board game and does not use or affect Pokémon TCG cards. If Japanese Pokémon releases are what you collect, browse our Japanese Pokémon cards and collectibles.