Pokemon
Pokemon
Decidueye is the next 7-star Tera Raid Battle in Pokemon S&V
William Davis
Decidueye with the Mightiest Mark is the next 7-star Tera Raid Battle in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Decidueye is the next Pokemon to be featured in the 7-star Tera Raid Battle. This Grass and Ghost dual type is the second evolution of Rowlet, the Grass starter from the Alola region. Like Charizard back in December, Decidueye will carry the Mightiest Mark, meaning that players can only catch it one time. …
Pokemon
Pokemon Ruby vs. Sapphire, which one is best?
William Davis
Pokemon starts each new generation with a dual release. These are two versions of the same game, but with key elements that set them apart. These are the differences between Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire. Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire are the first installments of Pokemon’s third generation. The games take place in the Hoenn region and were released in 2003 in North America. The game quickly became one of the …
Pokemon
New Pokemon Show shares premiere date
William Davis
Pokemon revealed more details about the new show and its main characters, Liko and Roy. In December 2022, Pokemon surprised the audience by announcing that Ash Ketchum would no longer be the protagonist of the TV show. The announcement came after Ash fulfilled his dream of becoming a Pokemon World Champion. At the time, Pokemon also revealed Liko and Roy, the two new characters that would take over. Now, we …
Pokemon
Pokemon Go Rising Heroes adds exclusive Pokemon
William Davis
Pokemon Go Season 10 Rising Heroes has arrived. This season will run through June 1, and it brings some exclusive content players don’t want to miss. Pokemon Go Rising Heroes started on March 1. Season 10 of Pokemon Go follows a superhero theme with comic book-inspired graphics. There will be plenty of opportunity for heroic acts, as Team Go Rocket grunts will be spawning more frequently during the event. One …
Pokemon
New Pokemon anime characters include Captain Pikachu
William Davis
Pokemon revealed two new characters from the upcoming animated series. Of course, fans will be happy to know that Pikachu is back, but not how they expected it. In December 2022, Pokemon announced the departure of Ash Ketchum, the main character on the show for the past 25 years. After achieving his dream of becoming World Champion, Ash, and Pikachu are moving on to live adventures off-screen. At the time, …
Pokemon
Best breeding tips for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
William Davis
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduced a new method to breed Pokemon. Here are some breeding tips for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. In previous games, the breeding of Pokemon was done at the Pokemon Daycare or Nursery. At these locations, trainers dropped their Pokemon for a period of time, and when they returned, they received an egg. In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the breeding can take place anywhere you are hosting …
Pokemon
A Pokemon Mystery Dungeon is coming, leaks reveal
William Davis
Internet sleuths believe that a new Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game is in development and will be announced soon. The leaks come from data miners that went through the Pokemon Together website’s code. Pokemon Together is the official name of the 2023 Pokemon Day celebration, taking place on February 27. The website invites players to share their memories about Pokemon using the hashtag #PokemonTogether. Fans believe that Pokemon will host a …
Pokemon
A giant Wailord plush is here for Pokémon Day 2023
Olivia Richman
The Pokémon Company just announced something huge: a Wailord plush. Just in time for Pokémon Day 2023, the Pokémon Company announced a jumbo Wailord plush that’s been anticipated by the ‘mon community. The Wailord plush was initially teased on Twitter on February 13 with a close-up image and the text “s o o n.” It was quite obvious it was Wailord. But nobody was prepared for just how big the …
Best Pokémon Valentine’s Day gifts for 2023
Olivia Richman
Pokemon
Valentine’s Day is coming up and if you are looking for a unique and extra special gift for the Pokémon lover in your life, you’re in the right place! Pokémon has grown extremely popular the last few years and you’re bound to find an abundance of exciting exclusive merch that makes the perfect gift for everyone. From jewelry to plushies to controllers, you’ll find a Pokémon version of everything! Here …
The complete Pokémon GO Valentine’s Day Global Challenge guide
Olivia Richman
Pokemon
Pokémon GO trainers can celebrate Valentine’s Day in-game with the new Global Challenge. To keep gameplay fresh and fun, Pokémon GO will often introduce limited-time Global Challenges that come with unique bonuses. This time around, it’s a Valentine’s Day Global Challenge that celebrates love and friendship! Here’s everything you need to know to take part! A Global Challenge in Pokémon GO is when trainers from all over the world have …
How to beat Latias and Latios Mega Raid in Pokemon Go
William Davis
Pokemon
The Pokemon Go Tour Hoenn Global is approaching. The first big Pokemon Go event of the year features Latias and Latios as the Mega Raid bosses. This is your opportunity to get your hands on this duo of Legendary Pokemon. Latias and Latios are a dual Dragon and Psychic type from the Hoenn region. The Eon Duo joined Pokemon Go in 2018, with the shiny form being released in 2019. …
Pokémon Go Crackling Voltage event rewards, and more
William Davis
Pokemon
If you encounter more Team Go Rocket grunts than usual, it is because of the Crackling Voltage event. The event is taking place right now in Pokémon Go, featuring a Legendary Pokémon that will shock you. The Crackling Voltage event in Pokémon Go revolves around Electric type Pokémon. These appear more frequently in the wild, with an increased chance of finding shiny versions. The event is introducing the shiny variants …
Can Tynamo be shiny in Pokemon Go?
William Davis
Pokemon
Almost seven years after its release, it is still unclear how Pokemon Go chooses which Pokemon to add to the game. Pokemon Go might release the basic form and not the shiny or alternative forms. Your favorite version of a Pokemon might be missing for a while. If you are wondering, can Tynamo be shiny in Pokemon Go? We have an explanation for you. Tynamo is an eel-like Pokemon and …
Rayquaza featured in Pokemon Go Tour Hoenn Global
William Davis
Pokemon
The Pokemon Go Tour Hoenn Global has announced Rayquaza as the featured Pokemon in the five-star raids, and the Legendary Pokemon is not the only one making a special appearance during the event. Rayquaza is one of the Legendary Pokemon from the Hoenn region and the game mascot of Pokemon Emerald. Rayquaza joined Pokemon Go in 2018 during the Hoenn Celebration Event in February, aand the shiny version made its …
Armarouge and Ceruledge next Tera Raid Battle bosses
William Davis
Pokemon
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has announced its new Tera Raid Battle event. The upcoming event will feature Armarouge and Ceruledge, starting on February 3. Armarouge is one of the Pokemon Scarlet exclusive Pokemon. It is one of the final forms of Charcadet, the other being Ceruledge, which evolves when exposed to Auspicious Armor. Armarouge is a dual Fire and Psychic type. It is described as an incredibly loyal Pokemon and …
Kadabra to appear in Pokémon TCG for first time since lawsuit and ban
Olivia Richman
Pokemon
Kadabra is returning to the Pokémon TCG. Kadabra will be part of the card game for the first time in 22 years as part of the Pokémon Card 151 set. This collector-desired set will be out in June of this year, complete with Kadabra now that the lawsuit between Uri Geller and Pokémon is over. The last print of Kadabra was made in 2002, more than two decades ago. But …
Best Tera Raid Battle team against Greninja
William Davis
Pokemon
Greninja is the next seven-star Tera Raid Battle boss in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. These are the most difficult battles in the game and not a challenge that you should take lightly. Preparing the best possible team for the Tera Raid Battle is the key to success against Greninja. Seven-star Tera Raid Battles are limited-time events that will run through two separate weekends. These events feature strong and exclusive Pokemon …
The most expensive Pokemon TCG cards from Crown Zenith
Olivia Richman
Pokemon
Pokemon TCG players have been obsessing over the Crown Zenith expansion ever since it dropped on January 20, 2023. The set has some high-value cards that are sought after by the Pokemon community. Crown Zenith is the final TCG expansion for Pokemon Sword and Shield. It’s known as a High Class set, which means every pack includes at least one V, VMAX, or VSTAR. There is also a one in …
2023 Lunar New Year event in Pokemon Go
William Davis
Pokemon
Celebrate the Lunar New Year event in Pokemon Go with new research, bonuses, and raids. The Lunar New Year event in Pokemon Go is part of Season 9, Mythical Wishes. It started on December 1 and will run through March 1. Mythical Wishes included the Winter Holiday Party, now the Lunar New Year, and in February, Valentine’s Day. 2023 is the year of the rabbit, and Pokemon is commemorating it …
Greninja is the next seven-star Tera Raid Battle
William Davis
Pokemon
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet announced the next seven-star Tera Raid Battle featuring Greninja. The event will run through two different weekends, where players will have the opportunity to catch Greninja. Seven-star Tera Raid Battles are the toughest battles in the game, requiring high-level Pokemon with specific moves. These limited-time events run for three days at a time, two times, and feature Pokemon that is unattainable any other way. The first …
Pokemon stands as the largest cross-media IP in the world by a comfortable margin, but how did it make such explosive gains?
For a long while, pivoting a video game franchise into a larger brand seemed impossible. Iconic titles like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Resident Evil received TV and film adaptations, with the most common result being catastrophic failure. That was the norm from the 1990s all the way into the 2020s; and it probably shouldn’t have been.
While Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li and Silent Hill: Revelation were irredeemably bad, Pokemon showed that a video game series can be adapted into many different mediums. Here’s a quick history of the franchise and its future outlook.
Pokemon explodes with Game Boy games, quickly expands
Pokemon first arrived in Japan in 1996 with the release of Pokemon Red and Green; a pair of titles for the Nintendo Game Boy. The two games were largely identical, but each one had a handful of Pokemon that were exclusive to those titles. This encouraged players to collect and trade these monsters with others who purchased the games.
Later on in 1996, the game was reimagined as a trading card game. Then in 1997, an anime adaptation launched in Japan.
Both of those rapid-fire expansions earned strong success domestically. More importantly, it primed Pokemon for an overwhelming global push.
In 1998, the franchise officially crossed over into North America, Europe, and Australia. The games were killer apps for the Game Boy but it wasn’t just a video game. An accompanying anime aired new episodes daily, and the trading card game exploded out of the gate. This made it difficult to ignore Pokemon to the point where characters like Ash Ketchum and Pikachu were universally recognizable. Just like that, the franchise was unstoppable.
Pokemon expands beyond Nintendo consoles, grows even further
For decades, Pokemon video games were among the top-selling games each year they came out. The Pokemon TCG was one of the biggest in the industry. The anime was a constant, without even mentioning its many spin-off movies. Licensing characters for toys and apparel was a golden goose for all involved.
But the franchise was still positioned to grow further.
Almost all of the games were exclusive to Nintendo’s gaming hardware, but mobile gaming was on a sharp rise of its own. The franchise also released a long list of spin-offs, successfully turning the series into everything from a pinball game to a beat ‘em up. The Pokemon Company had dabbled with PC and mobile games previously, but started actively partnering with other studios in the 2010s.
The biggest example of this was Pokemon GO. The Pokemon Company partnered with AR game studio Niantic was an instant hit, being downloaded hundreds of millions of times. It was far from alone, however. Battling-focused gacha game Pokemon Masters, MOBA adaptation Pokemon Unite, and puzzle game Pokemon Cafe launched in the following years.
It wasn’t just licensed mobile games, though. Games like Detective Pikachu and New Pokemon Snap gave players fresh and varied ways to enjoy the familiar franchise.
Modern Pokémon games see mixed response, but sales remain strong
Though Pokémon has many lifelong fans, the mainline releases have long attracted controversy within the fandom. Though the first few generations were generally beloved, opinions on new and modern games releases vary wildly. Starting with the Nintendo Switch, critical response to the games wavered.
Reviews for Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee were lower than previous entries in the series. That pattern held with Pokémon Sword and Shield, which were also met with extreme backlash on social media.
Though each mainline game made every monster from previous generations available up until Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, this ended with Sword and Shield. Several fan favorites, including Beedrill and the Unovan starters, were made unobtainable in the game. The mega evolution and Z-move battle mechanics were also removed from the games. It’s unclear why or what methodology was used to determine which of the little monsters were left out.
Reviews sank further from there, with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, then Pokémon Scarlet and Violet garnering the lowest review averages for mainline games.
Despite this, the games were still an enormous commercial success. Pokémon Sword, Shield, Scarlet, and Violet ranked among the best-selling games in franchise history. Its publisher may have heeded some of the fan criticism however, as the company opted against releasing a new mainline game or expansion in 2024. This was the first year without a major game release since 2015.
