30

Pokémon 30th Anniversary

Published: March 17, 2026

1996 – 2026: Three decades of catching them all. The world’s biggest entertainment franchise celebrates a historic milestone.

FireWaterGrassElectricPsychicDragonFairyGhost

Pokémon by the Numbers

1025+
Species
🎮
100+
Games
💰
$150B+
Revenue
🎂
30
Years

🎨 1,000+ Unique Logos for Every Pokémon

To celebrate the 30th anniversary, The Pokémon Company has created unique logo designs for every single one of the 1,000+ Pokémon species — each reflecting the individual character and traits of that Pokémon. This is one of the most ambitious branding projects in entertainment history, showing deep reverence for every creature in the Pokémon universe.

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Generation Timeline

30 years, 10 generations, 1,000+ Pokémon species

I
1996Red / Green
Total Pokémon: 151
II
1999Gold / Silver
Total Pokémon: 251
III
2003Ruby / Sapphire
Total Pokémon: 386
IV
2006Diamond / Pearl
Total Pokémon: 493
V
2010Black / White
Total Pokémon: 649
VI
2013X / Y
Total Pokémon: 721
VII
2016Sun / Moon
Total Pokémon: 809
VIII
2019Sword / Shield
Total Pokémon: 905
IX
2022Scarlet / Violet
Total Pokémon: 1025
X?
2025Legends: Z-A
Total Pokémon: ???
Pokemon trading cards collection - 30th anniversary celebration

Photo: The Pokémon CompanyPokémon 30th anniversary celebration

Cultural Impact

🎬

Anime & Movies

The Pokémon anime has aired over 1,200 episodes worldwide, alongside 20+ feature films. Detective Pikachu (2019) became a global cultural phenomenon, bridging gaming and cinema.

📱

Pokémon GO

Launched in 2016, Pokémon GO revolutionized mobile gaming with AR technology. With over 1 billion downloads, it changed how people interact with the real world and brought Pokémon to an entirely new generation.

🃏

Trading Cards

The Pokémon TCG is one of the world’s most popular collectible card games, with over 52 billion cards sold. Rare cards have fetched hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction, fueling a massive collector economy.

🏆

#1 Media Franchise

With over $150 billion in total revenue, Pokémon is the highest-grossing media franchise of all time — surpassing Hello Kitty, Star Wars, and Marvel combined across merchandise, games, cards, and media.

Pokemon gaming setup - three decades of catching them all

Photo: The Pokémon CompanyPokémon 30th anniversary celebration

🔮 Coming Up: Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Pokémon Legends: Z-A, expected in 2025, will bring players back to the Kalos region to explore Lumiose City in an entirely new adventure. The title promises to build on the open-world success of Legends: Arceus, offering a fresh take on the Pokémon formula as the franchise enters its 30th year.

With Mega Evolution confirmed to return and a unique urban setting, Legends: Z-A promises to be a landmark title as Pokémon enters a new era.

🎉

Fan Celebrations Worldwide

From Tokyo to New York, London to São Paulo — fans everywhere are hosting 30th anniversary celebrations. Pokémon Center pop-ups, special TCG tournaments, fan-art exhibitions, and themed concerts are happening across the globe. The first generation of trainers who grew up with Pokémon are now sharing the joy with their own children, making this anniversary a truly multigenerational event.

🌟 The Anime Nostalgia Wave

Alongside Pokémon’s 30th, the anime nostalgia wave continues as Studio Ghibli’s Kiki's Delivery Service returns to IMAX screens. Both events highlight the enduring power of Japanese anime and gaming culture worldwide — transcending time and generations, proving that these beloved franchises only grow stronger with age. Meanwhile, major gaming titles like GTA VI and Deadlock are also energizing the global gaming community.

▸ The Pokemon franchise has generated over $100 billion total -- the 30th anniversary will drive a massive new consumer wave

Frequently Asked Questions

TN
By Thao Nguyen · Culture & Entertainment Editor
Published: March 17, 2026 · Updated: March 25, 2026
entertainment·pokemon 30th anniversary · pokemon 2026 · pokemon history · pokemon games timeline
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