image from The Pokémon Company. Pokémon artwork done by Ken Sugimori
On Feb. 27, 1996, Pokémon Red and Green were first released in Japan. At the time, video games rarely launched worldwide on the same date and instead rolled out gradually across different countries. Now, nearly 30 years later, the Pokémon franchise along with the original 151 Pokémon remains one of the most recognizable series in gaming history.
The franchise currently has nine mainline entries, with the 10th, Pokémon Winds And Waves, revealed on the day of the 30th anniversary and slated for a 2027 release. It stands as the world’s highest-grossing entertainment franchise of all time, beating out Hello Kitty/Sanrio, Shonen Jump, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The legendary franchise started when Shigeru Miyamoto wanted to make a game based on his childhood hobby: bug collecting. He wanted others to see the satisfying aspects of his hobby, except with more marketable content than bugs, because most people find bugs gross. Miyamoto also wanted kids to socialize and trade Pokémon on the playground or other places, so he decided that instead of one version of the game that featured all 151 Pokémon, he’d make two versions of the game, but would have certain Pokémon locked to a version of the game. It worked so well that the first versions of the games were the number one bestseller in the franchise, and many believe saved the Game Boy.
The games were a massive hit. According to official Nintendo fiscal reports between 2009 and 2025, Pokémon Red/Blue and Green sold over 30 Million copies as of 2009. Pokémon Scarlet/Violet comes in second place with 28 Million Units sold as of December 2025, and in third, we have Pokémon Sword/Shield with 27 Million units as of December 2025. The series is still doing just as well to this day, as the modern games have gotten close to dethroning the originals, but not quite.
With the 10th mainline Pokémon games set to launch exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027, they could become the first entries to surpass the originals in sales. The reveal was met with overwhelmingly positive reactions, but because the console is still early in its lifespan, reaching that milestone may take time.
Beyond the games, Pokémon has also built long-running success through its anime and Trading Card Game (TCG), both of which date back to the 1990s. The anime followed the iconic Ash Ketchum for roughly 26 years before shifting to a new cast of characters in recent seasons. Meanwhile, the Pokémon TCG has remained popular with both players and collectors, though products have become harder to find in recent years as renewed interest and speculative card markets have driven demand to new heights.
Pokémon can be the light at the end of the tunnel for many fans, helping them even when times seem at their worst. I asked my friend Khamari about Pokémon, and he said, “When my uncle passed away, the last thing he gave me was his DSi with Pokémon HeartGold, so I played it. Although I was little, I didn’t progress much because I didn’t want to remove his save file.” Khamari and I discussed a lot about Pokémon, and you can find the full 40-minute interview here https://youtu.be/Vf_XionbvXc
Some people even formed stronger bonds with friends and family through the games shortly after their release. Chabot student Shantal told me she and her sister constantly played Pokémon on the Game Boy together. “It was something that brought us closer,” she said. “Even to this day, we still love sharing our gaming experiences.”
Even during the whirlwind of problems the world’s faced recently, the Pokémon franchise continues to provide comfort and connection for many players. Paul, a longtime fan and friend, said the series became especially important to him during quarantine. “Pokémon has always been in my life, but it really started to take a huge presence when quarantine happened,” he said. “I was going through a lot, and Pokémon Shield was there when I needed to calm down.” He added that the games remain meaningful, because they are fun and help bring him closer to the people who matter most in his life.
Twitch Plays Pokémon is a famous 2014 livestream, where a programmer let Twitch chat control the player character in Pokémon Red, with 121K viewers at its peak, where thousands of people attempted to beat the game by using inputs made from Twitch chat. This livestream, although these numbers don’t sound impressive nowadays, was massive for 2014.
To close out the remembrance, students at Chabot College were asked to vote for their favorite Pokémon. The results were fittingly close. Out of 102 responses, Pikachu, Charizard, and Gengar each finished tied for first place with six votes. While some of the franchise’s biggest names rose to the top, the poll also showed the depth of Pokémon’s fanbase, with responses spanning across generations of characters, including at least one loyal fan of Joltik.
Nearly 30 years after its debut, Pokémon remains one of the most recognizable and influential franchises in entertainment. For many fans, the series is tied not only to games and television, but also to friendships, family memories, and shared experiences that have lasted for years. As the franchise moves toward its next generation, its continued success will likely depend on its ability to preserve that same sense of connection and wonder that first drew players in decades ago.
