Pokémon 30th Anniversary: Games, TCG, Events & More

Pokémon is officially 30 years old, and The Pokémon Company is making sure the celebration lasts a lot longer than a single day.

The franchise officially hit 30 on February 27, 2026, marking three decades since Pokémon Red and Green launched in Japan in 1996. Rather than packing everything into Pokémon Day, the company is treating all of 2026 as one giant anniversary celebration, with new games, Pokémon TCG releases, events, collaborations, and plenty of merchandise spread throughout the year.

The short version? A new generation has been revealed for 2027, three Pokémon games arrived in 2026, and the big 30th anniversary TCG release is now here.

Here’s everything you need to know about Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.

When Is the Pokémon 30th Anniversary?

There are actually two important dates, depending on which part of Pokémon you’re talking about.

The video game franchise officially turned 30 on February 27, 2026. That’s the anniversary of Pokémon Red and Green launching in Japan on February 27, 1996.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game has a slightly different anniversary date. The first Japanese Pokémon TCG expansion launched in October 1996, meaning the card game reaches its own 30-year milestone in October 2026.

So, if you’ve seen both February and October mentioned as Pokémon anniversary dates, neither is wrong. They’re simply celebrating different parts of the franchise.

The Pokémon Company is treating the entire year as the 30th anniversary, with celebrations running from February through December.

Also read: How to Evolve Primeape in Pokémon GO

How Did the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Celebration Start?

The anniversary campaign got an early spotlight during Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026.

Pokémon used the commercial to kick off its yearlong celebration with a “What’s Your Favorite” theme. The idea played into one of the things that has always made Pokémon so personal: almost every fan has a favorite Pokémon, game, card, or generation.

The anniversary logo had actually appeared earlier. It was first revealed alongside the Pokémon Day 2026 Collection card product on November 13, 2025. A Japanese version of the logo was later teased through an animation posted by Pokémon’s official Japanese social accounts on January 1, 2026.

Pokémon Day 2026 and the Anniversary Pokémon Presents

February 27 was the big one.

A special Pokémon Presents presentation aired on Pokémon Day, which also happened to be the franchise’s 30th birthday. The presentation delivered several of the year’s biggest announcements, including the next generation of Pokémon games, new titles, anniversary TCG plans, and a LEGO collaboration.

If you’re trying to catch up on the major announcements from the anniversary year, this is the presentation to watch.

Every Pokémon Game Announced for the 30th Anniversary

Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves (2027)

The biggest announcement was undoubtedly the next generation.

Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves are the Generation 10 games, and they’re coming exclusively to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027.

The games are set in an open-world environment centered around windswept islands and the surrounding ocean. They’re also scheduled for a worldwide launch, meaning players in different regions won’t have to wait weeks for the games to arrive.

That’s particularly useful for Pokémon fans who want to avoid spoilers before their local release.

Pokémon Champions (April 2026)

Pokémon Champions takes a very different approach.

Instead of focusing on a traditional adventure with gyms and a lengthy story, Champions is built around competitive Pokémon battles. The game launched on Switch in April 2026, giving competitive players a dedicated place to battle.

Players who downloaded the game early also received a Dragonite.

Pokémon Pokopia (March 2026)

Pokémon Pokopia is arguably one of the more unusual Pokémon projects of the year.

Released on March 5, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, Pokopia takes the franchise into sandbox territory. Rather than making gym battles and becoming Champion the main goal, the game focuses more on building, creating, and exploring.

It’s a pretty significant genre change for Pokémon and gives the anniversary lineup some variety beyond traditional battles and RPG gameplay.

Also read: How to Catch Mimikyu in Pokemon GO

The Pokémon TCG 30th Anniversary Set

For Pokémon card collectors, September brings one of the biggest anniversary releases.

The Pokémon TCG 30th CELEBRATION set, with the set code M6a, launched worldwide on September 16, 2026.

There’s an interesting milestone attached to this release too. It’s the first time the Pokémon TCG has had a global simultaneous release.

The anniversary collection follows some of the ideas used for the 25th anniversary celebration, which famously brought back designs inspired by classic Base Set cards.

And the TCG celebration isn’t stopping there.

At the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco on August 31, Pokémon revealed the logo for a new “ex★” (ex star) series. Mega Lucario Z ex was also revealed as part of the announcement.

However, Pokémon hasn’t announced the products, set codes, or release dates for that series yet.

Are Pokémon Anniversary Cards Worth Holding?

The previous anniversary cycle gives collectors some interesting context, but it’s important not to treat it as a guarantee of future prices.

For example, the 2021 25th Anniversary Golden Box has been listed at around 257,500 yen, or roughly $1,752.

That’s an example of a current listing rather than a guaranteed selling price. Pokémon card values can change significantly depending on supply, demand, condition, grading, and collector interest.

In other words, anniversary cards can become valuable, but there’s no reliable way to know which products will appreciate over time.

Pokémon UNITE Anniversary Updates

Pokémon UNITE has also received plenty of anniversary content throughout 2026.

On February 19, Pokémon confirmed that the three Legendary Birds would be joining the playable roster. Zapdos arrived first on February 27.

The Pokémon Day presentation also revealed that the fully evolved Johto starters would be joining the game.

The rollout went like this:

• Typhlosion: April 24
• Feraligatr: May 8
• Meganium: May 22

That gives UNITE players plenty of new options to experiment with during the anniversary year.

Also read: How to Get Every Mega Stone in Pokémon Legends Z-A

Pokémon Anniversary Events, Collaborations, and Merchandise

The celebration isn’t limited to games and cards.

The Pokémon Company International is hosting global Day Out and Night Out events throughout the year. There are also anniversary collaborations and merchandise releases planned across different markets.

McDonald’s is once again part of the celebration, continuing the tradition of Pokémon-themed Happy Meal promotions.

In Japan, the 30th anniversary McDonald’s Happy Meal promotion began on August 7, 2026.

Mobile players haven’t been forgotten either.

During Pokémon Day, it was announced that the first partner Pokémon from Generations I through IX in Pokémon Café ReMix would receive special commemorative broaches.

Pokémon 30th Anniversary Timeline

What Comes Next for Pokémon?

The 30th anniversary celebration isn’t over yet.

Events and campaigns are expected to continue through December 2026, while the Pokémon TCG reaches its own 30-year milestone in October.

After that, much of the attention will shift toward Generation 10 and Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves on Nintendo Switch 2.

It’s a fitting way to look at how far the franchise has come. Pokémon started with two Game Boy games released in Japan in 1996. Three decades later, the series is heading toward a new generation built around an open world of islands and ocean.

That’s quite a journey.

Which Pokémon 30th anniversary announcement are you most excited about? Let us know, and follow GamerUrge for more Pokémon news, gaming guides, updates, and release-date coverage.