For 30 Years, Pokémon Has Caught Us All
The Ringer • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Satoshi Tajiri’s childhood fascination with collecting insects inspired the creation of Pokémon, which celebrated its 30th anniversary recently, marking a milestone for the franchise that began with the 1996 release of Pocket Monsters Red and Green in Japan.
- Pokémon has grown into the world’s highest-grossing media franchise with over $150 billion in lifetime revenue, spanning video games, trading cards, anime, movies, merchandise, mobile apps, and theme parks, attracting multiple generations of fans.
- The franchise’s recent games have experimented with open-world and immersive gameplay, but some entries like Scarlet and Violet faced criticism for technical issues, prompting anticipation for the next generation games, Pokémon Winds and Waves, set for release in 2027.
- Pokémon Pok
