Anniversaries are a special thing in the gaming space, especially when a franchise continues to do well after a long period of time. Mario, for example, is celebrating a special anniversary that will last into next year with the release of his next movie. Then, there’s The Pokemon Company, which is gearing up for the big 30th anniversary celebration of their series that literally took over the world. In fact, it’s the highest-grossing media franchise of all time! To celebrate the anniversary to come, the company’s official Japanese Twitter handle posted this special video featuring the series’s iconic mascot:
ポケモン30周年、はじまる！
『ポケットモンスター 赤・緑』の発売から30年。
2026年2月27日（金）にポケモンは30周年を迎えるよ。
今年は最高の1年になる予感！
お楽しみに！#ポケモン30周年 pic.twitter.com/iPXR83Ib66— ポケモン公式 (@Pokemon_cojp) December 31, 2025
Adorable, is it not? Seeing the variations of Pikachu over the years highlights just how far the franchise has progressed from its pixel art roots.
As the video notes, the 30th anniversary celebration will happen on February 27th, and it’s inevitable that we’ll get a “Pokémon Presents” on that day to honor that, while also teasing the future. On that note, the translation of the Japanese text reads at one point:
“I have a feeling this year is going to be the best one yet!”
That’s a bold claim, making it seem as though The Pokemon Company has some big announcements to make. The announcement of Gen 10 seems like a lock, but would that be enough for a celebration like this? We’ll find out in February.
Source: Pokemon Japan Twitter
