Pokémon 30th
Anniversary Celebration

March 8, 2025

2026 marks a huge milestone for one of the most influential entertainment franchises ever created. This year, Pokémon celebrates its 30th anniversary, three decades after it first launched in Japan in 1996.

In that time, Pokémon has grown into one of the most successful media franchises in the world, surpassing massive global brands like Disney, Hello Kitty, and even icons such as Mickey Mouse in total franchise revenue.

To celebrate the occasion, The Pokémon Company made a number of announcements during this year’s Pokémon Presents broadcast. Pokémon has expanded far beyond its original video game roots over the past 30 years—touching nearly every corner of entertainment, including anime, movies, music, toys, apparel, collectibles, and more.

But for many fans and collectors, one announcement stood out above the rest.

A brand new 30th Anniversary set for the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

During the presentation, The Pokémon Company revealed a limited anniversary set designed to celebrate the full history of the Pokémon TCG.

Anniversary sets have always held a special place in the community, and this one appears to follow in the footsteps of the beloved Pokémon TCG: Celebrations released in 2021.

Much like that release, the new set will feature reprints of classic cards and fan favorites from throughout the game’s history. These kinds of sets are a nostalgic celebration of the cards that shaped the game and helped define different eras of Pokémon collecting.

However, the 30th Anniversary set is doing something a little different.

Rather than focusing exclusively on the earliest days of Pokémon, this set will celebrate multiple generations of the franchise. Cards from the original era will certainly make an appearance, but the set will also feature reprints from later generations of Pokémon, highlighting how the game has evolved over the past three decades.

For longtime collectors, this opens the door for some very exciting possibilities.

Another major announcement tied to the set is something the Pokémon TCG has never done before: a simultaneous worldwide release.

Historically, Pokémon TCG sets have launched at different times depending on the region, often debuting in Japan months before arriving in North America and Europe. The 30th Anniversary set will change that, releasing globally at the same time.

For the community, that means fans everywhere will get to experience the celebration together.

At the moment, details about the set are still fairly limited. The Pokémon Company hasn’t yet revealed the full card list, product lineup, or exact release date.

Still, the announcement alone has already created a wave of excitement across the Pokémon community.

Thirty years is an incredible achievement for any franchise, and Pokémon continues to prove why it remains one of the most enduring and beloved brands in the world. With the anniversary celebration just beginning—and a special Pokémon TCG set on the way—2026 is shaping up to be a very exciting year to be a Pokémon fan.