# Limited-Time Pokémon Cards Accidentally Revealed a Year Early

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/limited-time-pokemon-cards-accidentally-revealed-a-year-early/
- Published: 2026-11-02T16:11:18+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T01:25:34+00:00
- Original publisher: Polygon
- Original article: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-cards-mcdonalds-2027-leak/
- Topics: Business, Companies

## Key points

- 2027 Pokémon promotional cards appeared online a year early.
- Fans noticed the “M27” label before the images were replaced.
- The promotion’s popularity can drive bulk buying and food waste.

## Summary

The Pokémon Company accidentally posted images of the Pokémon cards planned for its 2027 McDonald’s promotion, about a year before they were due. The images appeared in an announcement about a separate promotion coming in November, and fans spotted that the cards were marked “M27”. The company quickly replaced them with the correct promotional images, but the 2027 designs had already circulated online.

McDonald’s and Pokémon run promotional events featuring exclusive cards and toys with Happy Meals. The article says collectors seek out all 15 cards, while some buyers purchase many meals or buy cards to resell, which can contribute to restaurant disruption and food waste. It adds that facial recognition has been used to limit purchases at Pokémon Centers in Japan, though it is unlikely McDonald’s would introduce similar measures for its annual promotion.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.