Pokemon Day milestones: new Gen 10 starters, livestream plans and why fans still care at 30
On pokemon day the franchise marked three decades since Pocket Monsters launched in Japan, and the anniversary was used to unveil the tenth generation of characters, preview upcoming games and revive conversations about what the series means to fans worldwide. This matters because the brand’s latest moves — new starters, a company livestream and a renewed push around trading cards and mobile play — reinforce why the series remains a global cultural force.
Pokemon Day: company livestream, new games and the Gen 10 starters
The company responsible for the franchise holds a livestream every February to unveil plans for the coming year. For this pokemon day the livestream introduced the tenth generation of characters and announced two upcoming games titled Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves. Fans received their first glimpses of the three new starter Pokémon: Bean Chick Browt, Puppy-type Pombon and Water Gecko Gecqua. President Kenji Okubo described this year's celebrations as "extra special as we kick off the celebration of 30 years of Pokémon. "
Why the core gameplay — catching, collecting and battling — endures
Battles between rival trainers have always been at the heart of the games. The franchise has long centered on players taking the role of a trainer: catching and collecting monsters before battling them against others. That gameplay loop is cited as a central reason the series continues to attract new generations of players.
From Game Boy beginnings to a global behemoth
The original Pocket Monsters title launched on a handheld console in Japan and was not expected to be a huge hit. Early strong word-of-mouth and the console's low price helped the first release sell more than one million copies in its first year on sale. Over time the initial game expanded into an animated TV series, movies, the Trading Card Game and other products that turned the franchise into a worldwide phenomenon now described as reportedly the highest-grossing media franchise in history.
Trading cards, Pokémon GO! and the pandemic surge
The trading card game and later mobile innovations have created distinct waves of mainstream attention. The TCG once sparked such a craze that schools banned children from bringing the cards to the playground. The mobile game Pokémon GO! used a device's GPS and camera to place monsters in the real world when it launched in 2016, and that app has been downloaded more than a billion times. During the Covid-19 pandemic there was an explosion in Pokémon-related content, with particular growth in interest around the trading card game.
Fans invited to reflect: what Pokémon means to you
Media coverage around the 30th anniversary has been inviting fans to share what the franchise means to them. An invitation asks people to submit detailed responses using an online form, noting practical guidelines such as a maximum file size of 5. 7 MB and advising that contact details are helpful so organizers can follow up; those contact details will only be seen by the team collecting responses. Submissions that include other people's names should be made only after obtaining permission from those individuals. Coverage and outreach around pokemon day have been focused on collecting fan memories as well as marking the commercial and creative milestones.
Together, the livestream reveals, the sustained popularity of the core catching-and-battling gameplay, the renaissance of the trading card scene and the mass reach of mobile play underline why a 30-year-old property still prompts fresh excitement and community participation. Details released on pokemon day — new starters Browt, Pombon and Gecqua and the announcement of Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves — set the tone for the coming year while prompting fans to reflect on what the series has meant to them over three decades.
