The Pokémon Company
Pokémon turns 28 years old since its original release in Japan
Pokémon, one of the world’s biggest and most popular franchises that has transcended video games, has just celebrated its 28th anniversary.
February 27 is a special date, a day that is known globally as Pokémon Day and that celebrates the original release date of Pokémon Red and Green in Japan in 1996. 2024 marks 28 years since one of the most significant moments in popular culture of our time, the birth of a phenomenon that has crossed all possible borders and has millions of followers worldwide. Pokémon Day has been celebrated since 2016, the year in which the 20th anniversary of the franchise took place, and it is common for events such as Pokémon Presents showcases to take place, in which releases, news, and events around Pokémon are announced.
It all started with Pokémon Red and Green, and although some of you may be surprised by the latter because in North America and the rest of the world the versions distributed were Red and Blue, everything originated in Japan with Red and Green in 1996. The Blue version of the game would arrive in the Asian country that same year, but it would do so on October 15, almost eight months after the original launch and it did so to celebrate the million sales of the original games, launching three times:
- 1996: Through the Coro Coro Comic magazine by ordering the game by postal mail
- 1997: Celebrating 4 million sales and also ordering it through the Coro Coro Comic
- 1999: It came out in stores in its retail version, being marketed in a traditional way
The release of Pokémon in North America and Australia would arrive in 1998, while in Europe it would do so in 1999. In both cases, the editions that went on the market were Red and Blue.
Why was Pokémon Green never released in the West?
We had to wait until 2004 with the release of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen on Game Boy Advance, but as far as the original is concerned it has to do with the belief that green toys were not liked by new generations of American children. , which was also combined with the possibility of creating a clearer differentiation visually with red and blue, fire and water.
In the end, a moment to remember that accompanies all of us who were able to enjoy them, with our Pokémon Red and Blue in the West that are still adapted versions of the Japanese Pokémon Blue, which corrected several of the errors that Red and Green had. A cultural phenomenon that continues to this day, continues to grow and has transcended its own original medium: the video game.
A Pokémon Day full of news
The 28th anniversary of Pokémon has served to show a Pokémon Presents with multiple new features, among which stands out Pokémon Legends: Z-A, a new installment that follows the successful Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and which on this occasion will return us to the region of Kalos, the setting of Pokémon X and Y. Also, Pokemon TCG Pocket, a new game for mobile devices that aims to be a huge success, with a collecting and, at the same time, competitive approach, being able to face other players while improving our deck, and every day we will receive two completely free packs.
Pokémon’s 30th anniversary isn’t too long away, just two years into what will surely be an unforgettable moment. Although there is still a Pokémon Day on the horizon before 2026, thirty years is not a small achievement, and the saga that originated on Game Boy and filled the lives of millions of children with excitement worldwide surely will have something prepared for that special anniversary.