Pokémon Day 2026 - 30 years of Pokémon anniversary

On February 27, 1996, the first Pokémon games, Red and Green, were released in Japan – this exact date is celebrated every year as Pokémon Day. In 2026, Pokémon Day will mark the 30th anniversary of the brand. What began as a role-playing game for the Game Boy developed within just a few years into one of the most successful entertainment brands in the world.

With the introduction of the Pokémon Trading Card Game in 1999, the worldwide rise of Pokémon cards as a global collecting movement began in parallel. The Base Set, featuring iconic characters like Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur, shaped an entire generation and is still considered the origin of many collections today.

For Pokémon card collectors in Switzerland in particular, the 30th anniversary is a significant moment. Over three decades, simple playing cards have evolved into an international market for high-quality collectible cards and sought-after trading cards.

In the following decades, the franchise continued to develop:

• The Game Boy and Nintendo era with gold, silver and ruby
• The introduction of new Pokémon generations
• The worldwide anime series
• The mobile boom with Pokémon GO
• Modern generations like Sword & Shield or Scarlet & Violet

At the same time, the market for trading cards has also changed dramatically. While Pokémon cards were previously perceived primarily as playing cards, today they are highly sought-after collector's items, investments, and cultural artifacts. In recent years, the demand for trading cards has increased significantly worldwide. Social media, grading companies, and international auctions have massively increased the visibility of rare cards.

The 30th anniversary on Pokemon Day therefore not only represents a historical milestone, but also an exciting moment in the further development of the Pokémon TCG and the global trading card market.

To coincide with the anniversary, the "Pokémon Day 2026 Collection" was announced. This specially designed collection includes:

• A foil promo card with the Pokémon Day logo.
• A **30th Anniversary coin
• Three booster packs from the Pokémon Trading Card Game

It was released in advance and is available worldwide.

The presentation also featured a special 30th Anniversary TCG set teaser, hinting at a new TCG collection for later in 2026 – presumably called the Celebration Collection and focusing on cards from the last 30 years.