Pokemon
The highest-grossing media franchise in the world.
- First game
- 1996 (Red and Green, Japan)
- Creator
- Satoshi Tajiri
- Developer
- Game Freak
- Brand management
- The Pokemon Company
- Status
- Highest-grossing media franchise in the world
Pokemon is a franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori, whose first games, Pokemon Red and Green, launched in Japan in 1996 on the Game Boy. The concept invites players to catch, train and battle creatures called Pokemon, with the motto of catching them all.
Developed by Game Freak and managed by The Pokemon Company (a joint venture with Nintendo), the brand quickly expanded into animated series, trading cards, films and merchandise. It is now regarded as the highest-grossing media franchise in history across all sectors combined.
An idea born from insect collecting
Satoshi Tajiri drew on his childhood passion for catching insects in the wild. He imagined a world where players would trade creatures, an idea supported by the Game Boy link cable that allowed two consoles to connect.
The system of two complementary versions, each containing exclusive creatures, encourages trading between players. This social mechanic is one of the keys to the series' lasting success.
A phenomenon beyond video games
Beyond the games, Pokemon includes an animated series broadcast worldwide, a very popular trading card game, numerous films and a vast range of merchandise. In 2016, the mobile app Pokemon GO, developed with Niantic, achieved global success based on augmented reality.
The strength of the franchise rests on this coordinated multimedia presence. The main games remain among the best-selling titles on Nintendo consoles, sustaining the interest of several generations of players.
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